Howls from the Past
by MaverickKayPrime
Summary: Everyone keeps telling me where I am, where I should be going, who I should be. I don't know if I should believe them, or ignore them, or what. I know my name, they no my name, I know their names but, I don't know them. But I remember him. The red eyes, the shadowed figure, everything. He may look like a demon, but he's the Starman. He's my Starman. Sequel to Tribal Dance.
1. Reincarnation

_A bit of preface._

_So, uh, yeah. Here we are Tribal Dance 2, sort of. We're here, huh? In a sequel. I never originally thought I'd ever write a sequel. I mean, sure I gave a cliffhanger at the end, but I always staved off on actually writing a sequel. I thought about it, mused about it, but neglected to actually do so. Until now._

_A lot of people asked me for a sequel, and what can I say? I'm a giving guy. So this new year, I'm a start off with a bang. We're going to. Here you guys and gals go, the sequel to Tribal Dance. Let's just pray it blows your expectations._

_Here we go._

* * *

Reincarnation

The metallic door holding him inside slid open. Walking forward, his metal feet clashed against the steel floors. The hallway he traveled along was hexagonal in shaped, as per his original designs. It took him quite some time to build all of this, but it was well worth the investments. Walking along the illuminated hall, he placed his hands behind his back to make himself more comfortable. As this man walked forward, he passed by windows which showed the depths of the ocean floor. How deep underwater was he? Five thousand, ten thousand, possibly twenty thousand leagues under the sea? He had forgotten, honestly.

Coming to another door, he caused it to slide open by his presence alone. He continued to walk unhindered, now stepping through a hall with body sized capsules around him. All these capsules were silver as well as completely opaque, allowing no one to see what was being held within. He stopped at one of these capsule and gazed at it from beneath his purple cloak. Then he continued again, now heading for the door to his front.

Just as the last, the door before him opened without any kind of action on his part. This room was not a hallway, but instead an elevated platform that hung over an expansive room of darkness. Deep below appeared to be nothing but shadows; surely a drop which would kill a fellow. But from these shadows, various structures were protruding, hanging high into the room. On these various poles were spherical objects of unknown origin. The man in the cloak was unphazed by it all, for it was common to him.

He continued walking, passing these objects without a care in the world. The next door too slid open, bringing him to a hallway much like the first one. He trekked off, hands behind his back, taking brief glances out the window in order to see the various sea life. They appeared just as impressed by this sea base as anyone would be. He briefly moved his hand from out of his cloak, in order to touch upon the icy cold window at his side. Of course, he couldn't _feel_ the cold touch of the glass. In fact, he couldn't feel anything. Nor could he taste, nor could he smell. Such enjoyable things were reserved for living beings, not beings like him. Not machines.

He finally came to the door at the end of the hall. Stopping, he neglected to move for a few seconds or so. This time, the door required his hand to open it. He pressed it upon a panel in the center, causing a blue light to emit from said panel. The door slid open thanks to his touch, bringing him to a room that held a great machine in the center. He neared this machine, while his arms removed the cloak from his body. Of all things, he was an echidna. Silver body, with golden eyes. But there were no more echidnas. They had gone extinct thousands of years ago. Maybe it was because he was no ordinary echidna. He was a machine, after all.

Hands moving, he pressed them upon the device before him. His fingers tapped the various buttons of the machine's keyboard, causing the great device to light up all around him. With each click, another part of the machine would shine, until the entire device was bright enough to light the area. The albino echidna suddenly stopped however, his finger hovering over the last button needed to properly turn the device on. Gazing up, he eyed the device, but more specifically, the sphere that laid in the center.

"Wake up, Dimitri..." he murmured, his finger finally tapping the last button.

The spherical object on the machine started to part and separate, sliding out on opposite ends. What it revealed on the other end, a metallic black head, with its brain clearly sticking out on the other end. The head's optics opened and closed in a lively fashion, though it was pointless. Being stuck in what is essentially a jar, he had little to do or say.

"Finitevus..." the head, Dimitri, said, "What business do you have waking me up at this ungodly hour?"

"You can't sleep, Dimitri," the albino echidna answered, "Stop trying to act like you can..." placing his hand on his head, the silver-furred one started to groan, "We've been waiting for this, Dimitri. Waiting so long."

"Says you..." the decapitated head commented, "Tell me, what have you been planning all this time..."

The albino fluffed his dreads, while his hand reached away into his clothing. Upon returning, he held a device in hand. The device was beeping, showing something or _someone_, was near. The albino echidna chuckled at the sight of it, before turning over the device to show his head of a friend.

"Do you see this?" he inquired, "All these millenniums of waiting have finally paid off," he smiled, "I told you the chances of _this _happening was dependable."

"Your chances relied on a random event happening at an unspecified time..." Dimitri shook his head, "This plan was doomed to failure at the beginning, Finitevus. I'm disappointed it is actually coming to fruition."

"Let's just see what we have to look forward, shall we?" he shifted his attention back to the flat device in his hands, "The servers are the seven Chaos," he began saying as he chuckled, "Chaos is power, power enriched by the heart, "The heart is the controller. The controller serves to unify Chaos..." he laughed, his face growing sinister, "But what happens when an _eighth_ Emerald is thrown into the bunch?"

…

The lightning that struck outside streaked through the sky. Whenever one of those crackles occurred, a horrible sound would echo soon after. The storm was laying just above the small town, keeping all awake within. One such home kept its lights on through out all of it, a home that lay in the grassy knoll; center of the city. A small place, it wasn't necessarily the greatest, but it wasn't a sign of the owner's monetary value. All the warmth and love a home could have, existed within that place alone.

She dried her hands off on her blouse, her eyes staring out toward the window. As the crackles occurred, she shivered, knowing her daughter was staying up this night. After twisting the knob of the water faucet, the grown hare made her way for her home's den. With it storming so furiously outside, she had nothing much to do this evening. She figured for now, the best thing to do was get ready for tomorrow. Wash the clothes, dry the others, maybe clean the floors, and make sure her daughter has a good bit of clothing ready for her. It wasn't difficult being a mother, but it sure was monotonous.

"Mom..."

"Chao..."

The two voices made her gaze off for the staircase in her home. She saw her daughter, a young six-year-old rabbit, grab onto the handle bars in her pajamas, while her pet Chao floated around her. The two looked positively disturbed by the storms outside, something the older rabbit expected.

"Finding it hard to sleep, Cream?" the hare's mother inquired, a knowing smile on her lips.

"Mm-hmm..." she answered, while both her and her Chao's head nodded.

"Well," her mother replied, "Take Cheese with you up to my room. You can sleep with me tonight."

Both of their young faces brightened up with a shine that could only be described as happiness. The storm outside may have been terrifying, but none of that mattered when they were near Mommy. Even the older rabbit had to laugh at that, finding their childishness cute. Een though the two had gone on adventures she could only dream about, they were still children. Besides, it had been a while sense the mother had slept with the child. She missed the warmth her sunshine handed her.

While her child disappeared into the halls of their home, the older hare started moving forward as well. But as her foot stepped upon the staircase, she heard a series of knocks echo behind. They were almost completely masked by the sound of thunder over head. Had it not been for the mother's sensitive ears, the knocks would have gone completely unheard. But she did hear it, and she turned around to meet them.

Who was out here at this time? Did he or she not feel the storm raging outside? Maybe it was some crazy person. Knowing this world, that wasn't too out of the box. So, instead of enjoying a nice hot shower as the mother originally intended, she decided to head for the door instead. The knocks hadn't decreased, instead they increased, now appearing to be frenzied in nature. At first, the woman was weary of answering the door. If this was some crazy person, then she would be putting herself and her daughter in danger. But if it was someone who needed her help, then she'd feel even worse.

Curse her sweet nature.

"Hello?" she answered, as she pulled the door back.

She found these shining green eyes glare back. It was a girl, younger than her, with these forest green eyes. She was naked, from head to toe, and shivering cold from the rain and air. Her dreads were frenzied and tangled thanks to the rain, but that appeared to be the least of her problems. The hare could only wonder what this girl went through to leave herself looking like, _this_.

"P-p-p-p-p-please," the girl said through shivers, "C-c-c-c-c-can I c-c-c-c-c-come i-i-i-i-i-in?"

She didn't even looks as if she could stand properly, let alone say those words. Covering her mouth, the hare was deeply disturbed by the individual she stared upon. If anyone needed her help, it was her.

Stepping aside, the mother allowed the girl to walk in. She continued to shiver as she did so, but nodded in appreciation. Closing the door behind her, the mother began to stare up and down the room. Her eyes eventually fell upon her staircase, where she found her daughter's eyes staring back. She had already seen the trouble unfolding before her, anyone could tell that.

"Mom...?" Cream murmured, traces of fear in her voice.

The orange furred girl before her seemed to ignore the call, as she was too focused on her shivering body.

"Cream," her mother called, "Get me a nice warm towel."

The child nodded, along with her Chao, and vanished suddenly into the halls of her home. The older rabbit pressed her back up against her door; wondering what to do next. The naked girl before her continued to shiver and rub herself in an attempt to gain heat, but it wasn't working. But, there was something _off_ about this girl. She looked different, if the older rabbit could say so. Honestly, the mother had never seen an animal of her kind.

The green-eyed girl suddenly started to cough; her shivers increasing. The rabbit reached for her phone, but stole herself from actually calling anyone. With the level the storm was raging at outside, there was no way any ambulance would make their way out here. And, unfortunately enough, there was no way she'd be able to make her way through the rain. So, for the most part, this young woman was going to suffer tonight.

Finally, her daughter returned, dry towel in hand. She handed it to her mother, who in turn, handed it to the girl currently sitting on her couch. She tried her hardest to cover her body completely, but this orange furred girl was still shivering.

"Please..." the girl murmured, "Make it stop..."

"Mom...?" Cream whispered as she gazed up to her.

"My name is Vanilla," the older rabbit said to the girl, trying her hardest to be humane, "Who are you?"

This young girl looked up. Now that Vanilla could stare upon her face, she realized why this green-eyed girl looked vaguely familiar. Why she looked familiar, yet different. This girl was was an echidna.

"My n-n-n-n-name?" she murmured through her shivers, "My name's Tikal..." she finally answered.

Tikal the echidna. What an odd name. Then again, it was odd to meet an echidna of any kind on this day and age. They were extinct, after all. Anyone would have been terrified, but Vanilla knew better. Judging from the thousands of crazy things that happens to her and her family, she knew that this was nothing different. When the morning came, she would call Amy or Sonic, and they'd know what to do with this. Heck, they were probably looking for the girl regardless.

"I'm tired..." Tikal murmured, her green eyes slowly closing.

Her shivers had diminished by now, leaving her with the slight hiccup every now and then. Soon after, her eyes started to shake and quiver; now losing consciousness. She shook on the couch, her body losing the ability to hold itself up. Vanilla tried to stop her from falling out, but it was too late. She collapsed on the side of the couch, silent.

Vanilla, Cream and Cheese stood around in there den; eyes all on the echidna before them. Cream stretched forward her hand to touch the orange maiden, but stole herself from actually doing so. Instead, she shifted her gaze up to her mother, who shrugged with indifference.

"She'll sleep in your room, Cream..." the motherly hare answered, "We'll figure out what to do in the morning."

…

_I thought you would appear, out of nowhere one day! But you just never did! YOU LIED!_

_ Because of you! I waited for you! Waited, waited, waited! I hoped, I prayed, you would return._

_ It was a silly dream. Us, with children. But it was all I had, because I found myself loosing hope._

_ Why did it take so long?_

_ I forgive you..._

_ What we have... It's... an Immortal Bond..._

_ Shadow... Starman..._

_ Shadow..._

_ Starman..._

_ Shadow..._

_ Starman..._

…

Her green eyes finally opened up wide. Her vision was too blurry to make out what lay before her, but she didn't mind. Opening her mouth, she yawned loudly into the palm of her hand. After that, she rubbed her eyes; reducing the amount of blur they held. But did she really want to see what was around her? She was still a bit sleepy, and the sheets were so warm. She wanted so desperately to get some more rest, but she knew if she did so she wouldn't learn anything of where her current area was. So, with much ire, the orange echidna decided to get from this bed.

Oh, she was naked. She didn't realize this until now. Yet, she didn't find this to be _too_ odd, as if she were used to being like this. Still, she felt the need to clothe herself. Thus instead of walking out au naturel, she instead garbed herself in some of the covers from the bed.

The first thing she noticed about this room, was how homey it was. Everything about this place held a warm and loving aroma. The floors were nicely cleaned, the walls held images and photos of individuals, the drawers were adorned with childish toys and various other things, and the morning sun peered through the windows. It brought light to the small room, and forced the echidna to get up.

She slid the covers from her body, freeing her to get up from the bed. Placing her naked toes onto the rug floor, she enjoyed the warmth it handed her. Slowly, the echidna walked away from the bed and to the drawer close by. She placed her hand on the edge of the drawer, being sure to drag her individual fingers along the various items in place. But one object caught her eyes in particular.

She found a peculiar doll, leaning up against the drawer's mirror. The echidna stretched forward and grabbed the doll in question. It was a blue hedgehog. A doll of a blue hedgehog. She knew this blue hedgehog, though her thoughts were quite muddied. Still...

"So...nic...?" she murmured.

She knew he was a blue hedgehog and he did something fast. She couldn't remember what though. In fact, she had been forgetting a lot of things as of late. Like last night. The only thing she remembered of last night was struggling through the rainy, grassy fields. She didn't know why she was in said fields, or how she got there, she just remembered struggling through it all. Why couldn't she remember that far? Boy, her head was hurting. For the most part, she could just remember.

Starman.

She placed the doll of the hedgehog back down on the drawer. Her vision shifted over to the exit next; her feet bringing her toward it. The door was open, leading to a hall. The echidna trekked down the hall, making her way down toward the end of it. She looked up and around to the various pictures hanging on the walls around her. All of smiling people, all of them happy. Such happiness confused her, actually. Why? It was as if she had forgotten about happiness. Or maybe it was because she didn't understand the images she was seeing. How did they get them on the walls like this?

She didn't know if she were confused or not, all of it seemed insane. She started walking farther along the warm hall, making her way toward the staircase at the end. Placing her hand onto the handrail, the young echidna made her way down the stairs slowly.

"So you say she just popped up in the middle of the night?" a bubbly voice echoed from downstairs.

The echidna stopped suddenly and pressed her back up against the wall. Hiding as best she could, she stared through the corner of her eye toward the beings at the den. The two people who helped her, the two rabbits, they were there, but there was a third person among them. She was a pink hedgehog, one with green eyes much like hers. She also looked familiar, but again the echidna could not tell why. _Why? _Who is this girl? What is her name? Wait...

Amy. Amy Rose.

"You say she's an echidna?" the pink hedgehog commented; hand on her chin, "Well that doesn't make any sense, Vanilla. Echidnas have been extinct for years."

"Well that's what I saw," the older rabbit said, arms crossing, "And I'm no fool."

"She looked just like Mr. Knuckles." the smaller rabbit said next.

"Well if you say so..." the hedgehog commented lowly.

"Oh! So you believe Cream, huh?" Vanilla barked, causing Cheese to laugh.

Amy and Cream soon joined in on the laughter, making the older rabbit walk off in annoyance.

"Wait! Miss Vanilla!" Amy called, "Did you happen about her name, by any chance?"

"Amy?" the echidna said as she stepped down from the stairs, "Amy... Amy is that you?"

The hedgehog stared at her, and as soon as their eyes fell upon one another, it seemed as if everything stopped. The hedgehog's face twisted into confusion and minor fear. She rose her hands, and cupped her mouth; the echidna continued to walk forward.

"T-Tikal?" Amy questioned in disbelief.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_So, as I said, this is the sequel to Tribal Dance, but I have to lay some ground rules down first. Okay, I'm sorry you guys, but this story will not be started anytime soon._

_What!? Blasphemy!_

_Yeah, I know, I just posted this chapter to tantalized you all. You see, I have another story to finish, one I will end soon. Maybe. Listen, I don't know how long Shadows from Before will be. That being said, I will update this randomly, that is until I finish Shadows from Before, where I will give this story my usual treatment. Works, right?_

_Any who, this chapter. Seeing as it's just a beginning one, you won't get much plot, will you? And yet, I have already laid the seeds of the future. Finitevus is here, Dimitri is a head, an underwater base, Tikal has green eyes, ooooh, spooky, right? Wanna know what happens?_

_Wait till later._

_And, right, where's Shadow? _

_So, signing of in the future._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	2. Awakenings

Awakenings

The pink hedgehog couldn't believe what she was looking at. This orange echidna, who whispered her name like a ghost, now stared down upon her with these forest green eyes. She was so dainty in her steps, walking down the staircase while her hands held up the sheets on her body. Finally, the echidna whispered her name again.

"Amy...?"

Her bare foot finally touched down on the den's floor, her green eyes scanning the various objects around her. For some reason, she felt her vision grow blurry, possibly caused by the sunlight coming outside. She rubbed her eyes, then brought them over to the face of the shocked hedgehog. She remembered that girl. She knew not why, but she did. As if they had met before, but where?

Said hedgehog started to fret, her verdant eyes darting left and right. She knew not where the echidna existed, or for what reason, but enough time had taught her such a thing couldn't be good. Had the Master Emerald been broken again? Had it possibly been stolen? Was a demonic race of super charged monsters prepared to attack the world in any given hour? When one has been on as many adventures as this hedgehog, one is oft prepared for the worst.

"So..." Amy said, "You're the echidna..." she smiled her hardest, "I guess all I can say is... long time no see... Tikal..."

The echidna finally dragged her eyes back to Amy's, and her vision sharpened. She suddenly grew on the defense, stepping back in a feared and feral manner. Amy, Cream, and Vanilla were all taken aback by Tikal's sudden position, finding it to be in stark contrast to how she was before. She never stopped walking back, not even as she started up the staircase once more.

"No..." the echidna said, much to everyone's confusion, "You..." she started to growl, "Who are you?"

That honestly wasn't a statement anyone saw coming. She should have known who Amy was, she just said her name. She even knew the hedgehog's full name, that is Amy Rose. Then why had she suddenly pretended as if the moment never occurred. Was she stricken by a sudden case of amnesia?

"Just go away, Amy!" Tikal yelled, making the amnesia point appear moot, "Just go away!"

Her adrenaline began to flow for seemingly no reason; the air for her growing tense. Everyone's gazes started to grow even more perplexed, though the echidna tried her hardest to ignore it. She continued moving up the staircase in a slow manner, seeking safety in the room she awoke from. But when Amy stood up from her seat to come over to the terrified echidna, said echidna sped up her antics. She quickly ran back to the room, still covering her body in the covers she awoke in. When she made her way back into the small bedroom, she fiddled with the silver object that laid on the door. She hadn't the slightest clue what it was, though she knew twisting it unlocked the door. So, she figured keeping it untwisted kept it lock. Unfortunately, she found the object to be extremely adamant against her advances.

"Tikal!" Amy called on the other side, "What's going on!?"

"Go away! Amy!" she yelled back.

Looking left and right, the echidna looked for something to barricade the door with. Eyes falling upon the in room drawer, she dragged the furniture before the doorway, keeping it blocked on her side. By the time the sakura hedgehog got to the door, she found it virtually impossible to open it. Tikal watched the door bounce and shake on Amy's end, though her antics were ultimately fruitless.

"Just go away!" Tikal yelled one more time, her vigor from before rapidly diminishing, "Please, Amy... just... go..."

The bounces and shakes of the door ceased by the time Tikal began to sob. The echidna stuffed herself into one of the corners of the room, and grabbed her legs. Pulling them close, she laid her chin on her knees. Her eyes closed soon after, as these frenzied tears started to flow. She didn't know where she was at, how she got here, or who those people were on the outside, hell, she barely even knew who _she _was. But she did know one thing, one _person_.

"Starman..." she sniffled, "Where are you...?"

…

_I just wanna make sure this isn't some... ____nightmare__... I don't know if I can take anymore of them..._

_You did something to me I can't explain. After all these years... I feel..._

_I think it's the least you can do for me..._

_ You... You knew all along?_

…

"You knew all along..." she didn't mean to say those words, they just sort of happened.

"Who knew all along?" a voice answered her.

Her green eyes opened quickly, revealing to her the same room she had fallen asleep in. Outside, she saw the night sky. The moon, laying a sea of bright darkness, and of course the brilliant _stars_, the stars that twinkled and represented souls. She wondered, was _he _among them?

Turning to her right, the echidna's eyes fell upon another pair of verdant eyes. Amy was sitting near her, in her usual red dress and boots, a visage of concern and love written upon her face. Turning to see in front of her, Tikal's eyes fell upon the door. It appeared to be forcibly opened, despite the drawer which she pushed in the way.

It seemed as if her rest had dulled the senses she had. She wasn't as feral, or as defensive as before. She appeared to be trustful of the hedgehog beside her, in spite of what happened before. She no longer felt the need to run for safety, or fight back. Instead, she reached forward with her hand. Amy was caught off guard by the action, but she didn't move. She felt as if doing so would scare the echidna beside her.

Tikal placed her hand on the side of Amy's head, and started dragging her fingers along her pink quills. It appeared as if she were looking for something, but hadn't found it. Her face morphed into a scowl; disappointed that she found nothing.

"I gave you something," she stated, eyes bending into unhappiness, "Where is it?" her eyes grew into a squint next, "The... Warrior Feather..."

The bubbly hedgehog's face grew into an embarrassed blush; her eyes gazing off into the distance. Rubbing her head, she inadvertently caused Tikal to pull back, making the echidna wait for her retort.

"Yeah, that," she commented, "I... kinda took it off, after a while..." she gazed back, "But I keep it in my room... promise..."

Tikal suddenly shook her head though, and scooted a few inches away. She didn't understand why, but the feeling of disorder she had before had returned. Amy seemingly noticed the feeling of fear running through the echidna's veins, and thus scooted a bit away to give her some space.

"Who are you, Amy?" Tikal inquired, the echidna trying her hardest to understand why she knew the hedgehog's name. It didn't really make any sense. She didn't know Vanilla or Cream, but she knew Amy, as if the two had met each other. But where?

"You know me, Tikal," Amy answered, "We've met before, remember?"

The echidna shook her head though, realizing how nonsensical this all appeared to be. How could she know someone's name, remember what she gave this person, yet never have met her before in her life? It didn't make any sense, as if anything was making sense. She wasn't sure what to feel anymore.

"Remember?" Amy pressed, "We met when I..." suddenly she grew flustered, "Well, I can't really explain it. I went back into the pass, you see, and... you sort of gave me this but... I don't really think I went into the past I..." she was finding it harder and harder to explain, "I think it was a vision you made me see when it happened."

Tikal placed her hands onto her head, thinking hard on the hedgehog's words. Something about it _sounded_ familiar, but she wasn't sure if it was actually true.

"Tikal, how did you get here?" Amy inquired, making the echidna gaze up to her.

"I... I don't know..." she closed her eyes hard, and started to think, "I... just remember waking up in... a storm, naked, confused... I ran as fast as I could, wherever I could until I ran into this house..." she opened her eyes, and looked over to Amy, "I don't know how I ended up here... wherever _here_ is..."

"Is the Master Emerald broken again?" Amy asked.

"Is the what broken again?" Tikal asked back, making the hedgehog fret.

"Nothing... continued, please..."

"I... don't have much to say," the echidna began again, "I... remember... arguing with someone though. And reconciling with that person..." she shook her head, "I forgave him for... _something_. What that something is though, I don't know..."

"So you argued with someone," Amy murmured, "Forgave him, and then...?"

"I don't know..." Tikal finished, before turning to face the sakura hedgehog, "Tell me... Where is he?"

"Where is who?" Amy replied.

"Starman..." the echidna said, moving forward a bit, "Where is... Starman?"

"I'm sorry Tikal but, I don't know who or _what _a," she made air quotations with her fingers, "_Starman_, is," she took a questioning pose, "Who is the Starman?"

Tikal found herself fretting suddenly; her verdant eyes beaming onto the floor. Raising her hands, she answered with the statement that was quickly becoming her catch phrase.

"I... don't know..."

But that was a lie, she knew who the Starman was. His name gave her so much hope, it even made her heart flutter. But when it came to visualizing a face, or even thinking up a description, it was impossible for her to do so. The thought of his voice wasn't there, but she knew what it sounded like. His image, she couldn't think up, but she could somewhat _see_ it. The most clear and concise thoughts she had on the Starman, were his words to her.

_You make me feel good too..._

Now. Why was _that_ the only words she had of him?

"Wait a sec..." Amy whispered, making the echidna look at her, "You had _blue_ eyes before..." she leaned in closer, "Why are your eyes green?"

"My eyes are green?" Tikal answered, "No..." she pointed at her face, "They're blue... see?"

Amy, obviously displeased with the echidna's answer, crossed her arms and shot Tikal a glare. With a slight movement, she pointed at the mirror which laid attached to Cream's drawer. Slowly, Tikal stood and trekked to the mirror, her hands gracing the side of it. Amy was right, her eyes were a beautiful shade of green, not blue as they once were. That was odd. She may have been confused about everything else, but at least she knew who she was, _right_? Right?

Dragging her finger down one of her dreads, the echidna found it hard to come to terms with her own identity. She was Tikal the echidna, daughter of Pachacamac and Akna the echidna. That was pretty much all she knew. Oh wait, she was best friends with an aquatic god named Chaos, she remembered that too. Hey, you don't just forget you're best friends with a god, ya'know.

"Wow..." the echidna said, partially out of wonderment with her green eyes, the other side out of her own mysterious past, "I... how did this happen...?"

"Listen," Amy said, as she walked up behind Tikal, "I don't think Vanilla will let you stay here for that much longer..." she shrugged, "Especially after you locked yourself in her daughter's room."

"I didn't mean too," Tikal answered, "It's just that... you scared me, a bit..."

She heard the hedgehog chuckle, something which brought a faint smile to her lips.

"I get that a lot," she stated, whilst still smiling. However, after a second or two, the hedgehog bent down and scanned Tikal's clothing, or, lack thereof, "Umm... I think I have some clothes that could fit you in my car..." she smiled again, "Give me a second, okay?"

Before Tikal could mount a reply, the hedgehog sneaked her way out of the room. Standing alone, the echidna found her eyes moving toward the window, while her feet brought her to the bed. Sitting down, she dragged the covers up on her body, whilst scanning the various stars outside. She didn't know how things got like this, or what was going on. She just thought about the Starman. Her brave, heroic, Starman. And how she couldn't really think on him at all.

She closed her eyes; trying her hardest to focus on his fleeting image. She came up with none, though a description did present itself. He was a demon, that was all she had to go by. The Starman, her hero, was a demon. And though the echidna was placed in a confusing world, she was no idiot. She knew what a demon was, she knew the evil they were supposed to hold. Then why was a man who she now associated with a demon, made her feel so whole? Maybe this amnesia thing wasn't a new problem of hers. Or maybe she was just thinking to hard on it.

"Chao...?"

The door creaked open, ever so slowly. Tikal gazed up, to see big blue round eyes staring back. The yellow dot that floated above this creature's head poked into the room, and transformed into an inquisitive question mark. For some reason, the echidna started to giggle, finding this invader to be unnecessarily cute. Next, she waved her hand in a gesture which called the being forward.

Cheese the Chao floated in, his red bow tie bouncing with his antics. He got closer and closer to the naked echidna, staring up into her green eyes with his blue ones. Tapping her knee, she virtually told the being she was a safe individual. He landed, but his face never left its wondering visage.

"Aren't you a cute thing..." the echidna stated, "My name's Tikal."

"Chao, chao..." the creature replied, making her chuckle.

"His name's Cheese..." a small, cute voice answered from the door.

Tikal watched as the door opened, seeing a cream furred hare gaze back. Though the echidna was still weary of those around her, she was never a person to distrust a child. So, instead of wilting back, the echidna instead waved at the little hare. Doing so caused the young rabbit to push the door open wider, a small smile creeping upon her lips.

"You're name..." she said, "It's Tikal, right? I heard Amy say it." the echidna nodded, causing the little girl to giggle, "My name's Cream!" she pointed at the Chao currently sitting on Tikal's leg, "And that's Cheese! He's my Chao."

"Chao! Chao!" Cheese said, his shy behavior now diminished.

"I think he likes you." Cream said as she marveled at her pet's sudden attitude change.

Tikal giggled lowly.

"I'm really good with Chaos," she answered, "One of my best friends was one, after all."

"What was your friend's name?" Tikal pressed, earnestly interested.

"Chaos," Tikal answered, "Well... that's what everyone calls him now," she dragged her finger's along Cheese's cheek, "You're raising him well. I can't remember the last time I've seen such a happy Chao." Which, honestly, wasn't too hard. Her memories were a bit fuzzy, ya'know.

"How can you tell?" Cream asked, as if she really needed to know.

"I'm really good with Chao," Tikal answered, "I used to raise them where I come from."

"And where's that?"

The question caused the echidna's eyes to close. She couldn't come up with a definite answer. Instead, she found her mind producing edges, lines even of buildings and structures. Of course, that didn't help much; she was still at a lost. She could see a giant rock though. A giant green rock, in fact.

"I... uh..." she shook her head, "I... don't really know..."

Suddenly the door flew open, revealing a certain pink hedgehog who held a smile on her face.

"You would not believe the luck you have, Tikal!" she said as she pranced her way forward, objects in her arms, "I had bought these items some time ago, and never got around to wearing them," she dropped the few boxes in hand down to open them up, "I think I bought this skirt... last week maybe? Or was it yesterday? I keep buying clothes, I tend to forget when though..."

She grew perplexed by her own actions, and started to think on them. After a minute or two, however, she shifted her gaze up to the echidna before her.

"By the time you get in these, you'll look so cute!"

"What are... _these_...?" Tikal inquired, her head cocking at an angle.

"Weeeeeeeeeeell..." the hedgehog slurred at first, her hands prying open the boxes quickly, "I have some new boots I haven't worn yet, but I think they might be too big for me anyway, I have this jean skirt that I brought on a whim, I still don't know why, this white tank top but, it might be too short for you, but you can stretch it, I also have these fingerless gloves, because I always need new gloves, you can wear'em though, and, and..." she stopped to catch her breath, an action Tikal was quickly beginning to think was impossible for the hedgehog, "Well... I guess that's it..." she smiled, "When we go back to my place, I promise we'll get you more clothes, okay?"

"Uh... uh..." the echidna muttered in awe, her hands reaching for the clothes, "Thanks... Amy..."

"Oh no problem!" she answered with a smile, "We are friends, right?"

Friends? Were they friends? Tikal didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure if she should answer with a yes, a no, or a shrug. So she did none of them, she faintly nodded. That seemed to be good enough for Amy, though it wasn't for Tikal. She didn't know who to trust anymore.

…

His golden eyes gazed down to the dent in the earth. It was surrounded by trees and rocks, this one area which held uprooted ground. This albino echidna crouched down to scan the dirt, his finger dragging up and down the shattered ground. The optics that were his eyes scanned the different pieces of sediment and grain that was picked up by his fingers. His golden eyes then moved skyward; scanning the various canopies of the trees around. Ruffling his cape, he shifted his cold vision elsewhere.

"I see," the ruffian commented to himself, "Seems I was a bit too late..."

"Foolish Finitevus," a voice echoed into his ears, "You can't even follow-up on your plan correctly."

"Shut your mouth, Dimitri," the albino replied as he shot a glare toward his hand, "You haven't even heard the good news yet," the doctor crouched down again to better scan the dirt with his robotic eyes, "There are traces of Chaos energy in this area..." he chuckled, "Looks like our little princess is leaking..."

"Why do you have to say it like that?" Dimitri grumbled.

"Just keep your eyes on the base," the over zealous doctor ordered, "I'm going to continue looking for the Emerald."

"The sooner you find it, the better," Dimitri stated, "I haven't the slightest clue how much longer I can go on being just a head."

"Stop complaining," Finitevus retorted; his feet bringing him deeper into the forest, "I could have left you there all those years ago, remember?"

There were a series of amused grunts echoing on the other side of the radio, something which made Finitevus chuckle. Lowering his arms, he began to ignore any further calls from his ally. All that mattered to him from this point on, was the mission.

…

"A... cuh... ar...?"

"A car! It's just one word! Car!"

The echidna was, understandably, weary of the hedgehog's words. She stood near the front end of this 'car', her green eyes staring into the eye-like headlights of said vehicle. If she didn't know better, she'd say the vehicle was alive with eyes like that. Yet, it was so cold and lifeless, like some deranged machine. And it was bright pink. If it were some kind of animal, it was by far the weirdest animal she had ever seen before. Yet Amy continued to smile. She was trying her hardest to convince the echidna of her safety. But judging from the vehicle itself, and the faces of disdain on Vanilla and Cream's face, entrusting her life with the vehicle may not be the wisest decision to make.

The quartet stood outside of Vanilla's home, all of them surrounding a certain sakura hedgehog's car. While the stars were out, the sun's failing rays could still be seen far over the horizon. Amy pranced around her vehicle, her usual pink dress flowing in her strides, while Tikal pushed down on the edge of the jean skirt the hedgehog gave her.

"I'm being serious," Amy continued to press, "You're life is safe in my hands, Tikal! My Cabriolet is top of the line! It can even fly and float on water!"

Tikal bent down to get a better look of the pink creature. Was Amy truthful in her statement that the vehicle could fly and swim? Judging from its cutesy appearance, and judging from_ her_ cutesy appearance, the echidna was understandably skeptical of the statement. She showed this by her less than stellar eyesight.

"Listen, it's alright!" Amy said, now hopping into her driver's seat, "I drive Cream around all the time!"

"You do WHAT!?" Vanilla barked in surprise, making her daughter fret.

"Oh don't worry Vanilla!" Amy said whilst waving it off as nothing, "I'm super safe when driving with Cream!" her gaze shifted back up to Tikal, "Now please get in, okay?"

"Well..." she didn't really want to get into said vehicle, but she really didn't want to burden Ms. Vanilla and her family any more than she already did, "Okay but... You won't... work the poor thing to hard, will you?"

"Work the poor thing?" Amy repeated in confusion, her verdant eyes running back to the car, "Oh! You mean my car! Uh... Tikal, the eyes are for show, it's not really alive, ya'now?"

"Not alive?" the echidna repeated in confusion, "But it has eyes and eyelashes, and..."

Amy suddenly twisted the keys of her car, making the vehicle roar to life. The sudden movement made Tikal leap up and away in fear, as the Cabriolet's 'eyes' suddenly started to shine. Never seeing such a monstrosity before, the echidna felt her blood pump into overdrive. Amy expected her to believe this thing was not alive?

"See?" the hedgehog said over the hum of her vehicle, "Perfectly safe!" she waved her hand, "Now come on Tikal, I'm kind of tired."

With high levels of apprehension, the echidna placed her hand on the side of Amy's car. Giving aid, the sakura hedgehog helped open the door for her. Tikal's eyes gazed down upon the car's plush seats, still with fear running through her veins. Slowly she sat herself down, finding to her surprise a soft touch.

"You really aren't familiar with cars, are you Tikal?" the hedgehog stated, completely ignoring the fact that the echidna's upbringing was four thousand years ago.

Suddenly she reached forward, her hands gripping the belt of Tikal's seat. With wide eyes, the echidna watched the hedgehog snap the belt in place. Little did she know that would be her only protection against the horrors of driving.

Her. _Only_. Protection.

"Now hang on," Amy said, her feet pressing on the gas pedal, "The people around here can get pretty crazy when driving."

"Driving...?" Tikal repeated.

The hedgehog's foot slammed on the gas.

…

Never again. Not with Amy. Never again.

When the 'cuh-ar' came to a complete stop, Tikal practically fell out. She didn't even attempt to remove the straps holding her in place, she just ripped them off. Her blood was working in overdrive, sending her toward the nearest building. She moved face; almost outrunning the hedgehog who drove her here.

"Wait! Tikal!" Amy called, as the echidna rushed into the apartment complex.

There were various people around, but they were all ignored by the echidna. She searched frantically for a hiding spot, finding of all places a great plant sitting in the corner. She dove for the tree and hid behind it, her green eyes aimed directly toward the entrance. She didn't know what was going to happen. The way the earth moved under her feet while she stayed in place, the various noises of the car, the way everything moved so fast, it was mind-boggling for her. She wanted so desperately to puke. In fact.

When Amy finally stepped foot in the lobby of her apartment complex, she found a group of people ignoring one corner. Finding it odd, the hedgehog sneaked her way to the corner, where she found her friend, nose deep into a tree, while disturbing noise echoed from her mouth.

"Tikal..." Amy murmured, as she watched the echidna vomit, "Uh... sorry about that..."

Getting Tikal to her apartment was difficult to say the least. After the drive, she became extremely fidgety, and antsy of everything. Even people who had the misfortune of passing them in the hall, were subjected to her frantic and sometimes feral growls. It all eventually ended when Amy opened the door to her home.

Tikal leaped in, her verdant eyes scanning everything inside. It seemed as if some latent instinct skills had kicked in, for she was highly suspicious. On all fours the echidna ran, gazing at the various paraphernalia of a certain blue hedgehog. It seemed as if Amy had quite a bit of hero-worship, on top of her preference for the color pink. Tikal cared not though, her heart was still beating fast.

But the adrenaline could only last for so long. Eventually, she calmed down enough to think on what happened. Driving, that's what Amy called it. She never, _ever_, wanted to drive again. Amy's skills were deplorable at best. Even someone who had never driven before could tell that. If only the hedgehog could.

"What?" she said, "My driving isn't _that_ bad."

Yeah, Tikal wasn't about to argue with her. She wasn't mentally strong enough for that.

"Here Tikal," the hedgehog said as she gripped her hand in a touch so tender, "Let me bring you to my guest room. I suppose you'll be staying here for a while."

The echidna didn't fight back, she just allowed her bubbly 'friend' to lead her wherever. When the door to the guest room was open, Tikal was pleased to see zero pink, zero blue hedgehogs, and best of all, zero cars. It was just a generic room, with a bed, a balcony because Amy's apartment was stories up, and a 32-inch TV. As if Tikal knew what a 32-inch TV was, that is.

"I'm just going to leave you in here, Tikal," Amy murmured as she slowly closed the door, "You look like you need the space..."

When she closed the door, her hand lingered on the knob. Despite her bubbly demeanor, the hedgehog was no fool. Her face turned a ghastly pale; her verdant eyes darted to and fro. She felt her lungs rapidly expand and contract, as her breathing picked up. Stepping back, she gripped her chest and gazed toward the door.

Why was she here? Why was she here? Why was Tikal the echidna, the tribal princess of the Knuckles tribe from four thousand years ago, currently in her apartment. And it wasn't Tikal's spirit, it wasn't some apparition, or some see-through image, it was Tikal. Flesh, blood, soul and all. It was the real deal. What insanity was about to happen thanks to her being here?

It was never a matter of _if_ it would happen, it was always a matter of _when_.

…

She spent hours in his position. Chin on her knees, arms hugging her legs close. The hours had quickly drifted into hours, mixing into one another in a never-ending cycle. The sun was gone, replaced now by the silver starlight moon. It was a beautiful sight to all who saw it, there was no discussing that. But she couldn't enjoy it.

There was a storm raging in the echidna's mind, a storm of uncertainty. She had no idea where she was or _who_ she was. All she had for herself, was the name to call her own, and a few fleeting images of her memories. There was only one thing that took precedence over her other memories.

She gazed down to the piece of paper in front of her. There was an image on this paper, an image of a helmeted being with a purple cape. Beside this image was a name more befitting of a title.

"Starman..." the echidna whispered to herself; her arms hugging closer her knees, "Starman..."

The name was written everywhere. Not just on the paper, but on the walls, the floors, and the various objects placed about. The chalk she used to write this name was whittled down to virtually nothing.

"Starman..." she whispered, eyes finally sliding close, "Shadow..."

…

He stood on the outskirts of the echidna ruins. His hand still held tightly onto the Emerald in hand. Shaking it, he began walking off. Before him, sitting on an altar some ways away, a great green jewel.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_You know, this is quite a surprise. I wasn't actually going to post a second chapter for a while, but seeing chapter one here, all by its lonesome, inspired me to post a second chapter. Maybe I'll stop when I post chapter three, then I'll focus on Shadows from Before. Or, I could just post and update whatever I feel like, that sounds like me don't it?_

_Any ways, let's talk about the things you have just read. First off, Tikal is having memory lost. She remembers somethings, forgets others, and is pretty much unreliable when it comes to things about her past. Why? Wait until later chapters, I wouldn't be a good writer if I told you now. We also learn about Tikal's fear of cars. Now, this is more than just her suffering from future shock, this has a bit of detail behind it. You remember in Tribal Dance when we found out Tikal hates and fears the Nocturnus tribe? Well, this is a bit of her fear coming out. The Nocturnus tribe had car-like vehicles, so she was used to seeing them. Doesn't mean she's any less afraid of them, however. She detests cars, no matter who is driving them. She may not remember who the Nocturnus Tribe is, but she still hates them. It's just latent, ya see?_

_I'm sorry if this chapter didn't really do it for you. I'm really just sprinkling the seeds for the future. What I'm doing right now is yanking the chain. I'm moving the story forward, without really giving you what you want. Not yet, at least. I'm such a stinker!_

_Also, I wrote a Metropolis moment. What moment is that? I ain't sayin._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	3. Green Eyes

Green Eyes

She licked her lips, as her verdant eyes ran along the walls of the room. Her 'roommate' was taking a shower, while she stepped slowly into the room. The bed sheets were lightly disturbed, as if the echidna neglected to actually rest in them. There was a small dent in it, as if the girl only sat on the bed, never slept in it. But that paled in comparison to what was written on the walls.

Everywhere, the word 'Starman' was written. On the walls, the drawers, the floor, the TV even. The pink hedgehog was so awestruck by this, she could only wonder how the echidna was able to write all of this. Trekking over to the bed's edge, she found a smoldering piece of chalk, a piece of paper, and a pen. Lifting the paper, the hedgehog found her verdant eyes running along the frame of a cloaked and helmeted figure. Beside the figure, the same Starman name. She lifted the image in order to gain a better look at it.

Was this the 'Starman' the echidna was worrying about? The same one that caused her to write on all the walls of this room? Strange, the way he looked in this picture. He wasn't some echidna character, he lacked the dreads all echidnas had. No, this image appeared to be familiar, yet distant. If she could say so herself, the bubbly hedgehog would say this being looked somewhat _familiar_.

"A-A-Amy?" her name echoed over the room, making her turn quickly toward the door.

Said door was slightly open, a naked echidna standing on the other side with a towel on her body. Her body was dripping wet, and her face was filled with terror. Slowly, she pointed down the hall of this pink apartment, toward the area of the bathroom.

"The wall snake got mad at me and started spewing cold water..." she mumbled, making her pink friend cock her head in confusion.

It took Amy a while to realize 'wall snake' meant 'shower spout'. Good, because any thought of a 'wall snake' wasn't a thought she wanted in her head. Smiling, she passed the echidna and started walking toward her bathroom. But as soon as her face became invisible to the echidna, the hedgehog once again began to fret.

Her hand reached away to the cell phone she brought, and she began to tap away at various buttons. When the phone began to ring, she turned around and face the green-eyed echidna. The individual was still shivering, possibly because of the 'wall snake'. Turning back to her phone, Amy turned a corner. It began to ring.

…

The explosion caused by his own antics through him back a few yards. He slammed into the wall, where his head slammed against it. To any normal being, the blow would have rendered him comatose, or at the very least, unconscious. But, unfortunately enough, he was used to this. When one holds the same level of work as he does, a random discharge every now and then is something you get used too.

After his body fell from the wall, the yellow furred fox started to walk his way back toward his work. His movements weren't without confusion however, as his vision was still blurred. By the time he reached the red robot, his hand started to grace its cold robotic hide.

"ACK!" he murmured first as he rubbed his throat, "Sorry about that, Gemerl. I think I connected two incorrect wires..."

His blue eyes gazed down, seeing shining blue eyes gaze back. The gold and black robot's chest was opened to all, his wires spread in various directions. Lifting his wrench, the fox with peculiar two tails began to work inside the robot once more. His wrench spiraled and clicked, as Gemerl's blue eyes started to dim. Smiling, the fox with two tails began to slow down his efforts. When Gemerl's eyes were shut off, the fox ceased his actions completely.

"I'll just let you rest here, Gemerl," the fox commented as he walked away, "Besides, I think I need it too..."

With a yawn, the fox began to trek through his wide, oil spilled and wire filled, garage. As his eyes closed, the thought of bed was sounding _really_ good. He slowly emerged in the main room of his home, an equally cybernetic area with various lab utensils placed about. Had it not been for the couch, and somewhat homely looking fireplace, the room could have easily been seen as a scientist lab.

Blue eyes peering over toward another staircase, the fox smiled once more. His bed was just a quick walk away. But as he strolled calmly toward it, his ears began to twist and bend. Behind him, besides one of his more _flammable_ concoctions, his phone. The fox groaned aloud, realizing that his sleep would once again be denied him. Turning around, he walked toward the device, lifted it to his ear, then answered with a most gruff, most annoyed,

"Hello?"

"Tails, it's me, Amy..." a bubbly hedgehog on the other end answered, making the fox groan even more.

"Amy?" he answered unhappily, "Sorry Amy, Sonic isn't here, you'll have to call some other time."

"I'M NOT HERE FOR SONIC!" she barked, making the fox pull his ear back quickly, "I need your help, Tails!"

"And what kind of help would that be?" he inquired slowly, with a bit of apprehension, fearing another outburst.

"Can you... tell me what a 'Starman' is?"

"A Starman?"

"Yes, a Starman."

"You mean those weird things Mario has? You used one during the last Olympic Games, I'm sure of that, Amy. It makes you all rainbowy, and invincible and stuff. You don't have to ask me that..."

"Not that Starman!" she barked, "I mean..." the fox heard her sigh, making him step back, "I... well... he wears a cape, a cloak actually, and a helmet that fits over his head. I... I think it has a star-shaped imprint on it as well..."

"Oh, _that_ Starman," Tails answered, "Well why didn't you ask for that one?"

"Which one is it?" Amy inquired with a groan, "I don't know that many Starmen, Tails."

"Well..." he took the phone with him up to his room, where a few minutes of shuffling through his things revealed to the fox a book around mythology, "The Starman... Starman... Starman..." he whispered as he rummaged through the book for a specific section, "Ah yes! The Starman! He's an echidna god worshiped thousands of years ago. Most commonly these days, he's a bedtime story told to children. The Starman was an ancient judge, who fell from the skies one day. We know he lived on Angel Island at one point in time, because there are many paintings and statues depicting him in the ancient city of Cielo Isla," the fox yawned now, as he got a bit comfortable on his bed, "Anyway. The Starman fell from the stars one day, for seemingly no reason. He went on to battle another echidna god known as Enerjak. From what the ancient echidnas say, these two battled for a long stormy night, raising the earth with their magnificent powers, where the Starman used the powers of the Chaos Emeralds to destroy Enerjak once and for all," another yawn, "Sounds like any other mythological tale, honestly..."

"But we know these _tales_ are a bit more..." Amy whispered, "Is there anything else?"

"Well," Tails murmured, "They say the Starman was a harsh judge, who hated evil in all ways. That's not to say he was evil himself, he was just a bit overzealous in his actions. They also say the Starman looked vastly different when his helmet was taken off. They akin his demeanor and stature to that of a... well that's odd..."

"What's odd?" Amy asked.

"Hm... They call the Starman a demon," Tails answered, a yawn shortly following, "Yeah, they say he was a demon when the helmet was taken off, one with these violent red eyes, and raven black fur."

"Sounds familiar..." Amy said with a sly smile, "Is there anything else?"

"Yeah," he murmured, "They say the Starman fell in love with a priestess at the time. An angel of a woman, one who was pure in every way imaginable. She loved the Starman with all her heart, and he loved her too."

"Aww," Amy said, "That's so cute!"

"_But_," Tails stated, "The Starman had to return to the heavens, and he couldn't bring his priestess with him. So, he promised her he would return one day..."

Tails' voice trailed off and ended with air, keeping the hedgehog on the other end on her heels.

"_And!?_" she inquired.

"And nothing," the fox responded, "The Starman never returned to his lover, and was never seen again. That's it..."

"So, even after he promised her he would return, the Starman was never seen again? What happened to the priestess?"

"I dunno," Tails answered flatly, "She probably wasn't important to time..." Tails yawned again, his eyes slowly closing, "Hey, Amy... what's with the sudden curiosity for echidna mythology? I didn't even know you cared."

"Well... I have a friend who's been really... _obsessed_ over this kind of stuff. A friend that I would like you to meet, actually."

"Huh, what?" Tails answered, almost _too _eagerly, "Amy, I'm not sure if this is such a good idea."

"Oh pishaw!" she answered, "You'll find that you'll probably _remember_ this person. But let's keep it on the low, okay? I don't want anyone knowing she's... _existing_..."

"What?"

"Just be on the look out for us, okay? I'll call you before I come over. Oh! And make sure Sonic is there, okay?"

"Amy, I'm not so su-"

_CLICK!_

"Amy? Amy!?" groaning, he turned off the phone and placed it to his side. He didn't know what was going on, but knowing Amy, he knew it wouldn't be too _fun_. Still, he was laying in his bed, and his head was on his pillow. A few moments of shuffling beneath covers, the young kitsune found himself resting comfortably.

…

Her green eyes gazed upon the cell phone for an extended period of time. Scratching her head, she found her mind dancing around the thoughts of the 'Starman.' A being who fell from the stars and judged humanity of their evil. He sounds pretty harsh, but at the same time he was a protector. He defended the echidnas from a malicious god, and that's not evil. And he fell in love, which is something only people with souls can do. But what does all of this have to do with Tikal? Did she know the god? Knowing her, it was entirely possibly. She was, after all, a woman trapped in a rock for thousands of years besides an aquatic god she's best friends with.

"You..." Little did she know how deep her connection with the Starman ran.

The hedgehog turned around slowly. Her eyes fell upon the green eyes of Tikal. But they weren't normal, to say the least. The normally calm echidna was clenching her fists violently, her dreads flowing skyward. It was, to say the least, disturbing.

"T-T-Tikal?" Amy murmured, "Are you... okay...?"

"How... dare... you..." the echidna murmured, "How dare you!"

"How dare I, what!?" the sakura hedgehog inquired.

"How dare you say _his_ name around me!?" Tikal barked, her body now oozing a ghastly red aura, "How dare you bring up the Starman around me!?" items around her started to float, making Amy fret even more, "How dare you bring up the man who left me!?"

The objects all around her floated even higher and higher. Her red aura began to stretch beyond her body, and lay upon the walls. Amy felt her home be pushed by the powers echoing from the echidna's body, and she was sure that if she didn't stop it soon, the tribal princess would destroy everything around her. And Amy was not about to let that happened. She had spent a good year getting this place perfect, and she wasn't about to let that work go to waste!

She quickly withdrew her Piko Piko hammer, pulled it back, then threw it squarely at her foe. It knocked the echidna in the head, causing her power exertion to stop immediately. Tikal dropped to her knees, placed her hands on her forehead, and then winced in pain.

"Ow!" she growled, "What was that for!? Did I anger you?"

"Did you anger me!?" Amy answered, "Are you sure I didn't anger you!? You almost blew up my house, Tikal!"

"No I didn't," the priestess answered with a groan, "I was putting on my clothes and then..." her eyes opened. Realizing she was now sitting crouched in the hall, the echidna grew rather wide-eyed, "How did I... get out here?"

Amy was rendered astonished by the echidna's statement. The tribal princess was honestly confused and scared by her current position. In her eyes, she was sitting in her room, getting dressed, only to magically teleport outside to the hall. But what of the echidna's words? Why was she so quickly enraged at the sound of the Starman? Did she not just write down his name all on her walls, and even drew a picture of him?

It took Amy a few minutes to realize why she was so angry. It wasn't because of the fact the echidna heard Starman, it was because Amy _said_ Starman. She had no right to say his name. At least, that's what Amy could decipher.

"I'm... I'm sorry Amy," Tikal murmured, "I'm just a bit..."

"It's okay, Tikal," the hedgehog replied, "Just... go finish getting dressed, we have someone we need to meet. Someone who can help you, possibly..."

Slowly, the echidna stood up and walked off, a certain tinge of embarrassment running through her. When she disappeared behind her doorway, Amy started walking forward, though she did so with a bit of apprehension. Picking her hammer up from off the ground, she eyed the objects that sat around her. The red power that surrounded the echidna looked so familiar, and felt it too. She had seen it before, she was sure of it. But where?

"Amy..." Tikal whispered as she stepped from her door.

She was wearing a brown three-quarter length top, with a green shirt underneath. Her legs were covered by a denim mini skirt, brown cowboy boots, and knee-high socks. It was obvious to all Amy was the one who decided her clothing. She was, after all, fashion savvy. But that's not to say there was no method behind her madness. To the hedgehog, it was the most modern clothing that matched the echidna's native attire from before. Besides, Tikal did seem to enjoy it.

"It feels familiar..." she murmured with a smile, "Have I worn something like this before?"

"Somewhat," Amy answered, she too smiling, "Here, let's go. We have someone important to talk to."

…

The loud nozzle of the vacuum cleaner roared through the home. She was akin to the action by now, but that didn't mean she liked it. Dirt was muddled deep into the rugs, alongside grass, dust bunnies, all sorts of anarchy. And who caused the grime she was currently cleaning? Her daughter and her pet. It was times like this where she prayed an adventure happened. A terrible thought, yes, but seriously, this was horrendous.

And there was someone knocking on their door. Groaning, the mother hare turned off the vacuum in her hands. After wiping her hands clean beneath her blouse, she walked over to the door, which was gaining even more pounds. Touching the doorknob, she stopped briefly. Something didn't feel right.

"Hello?" she asked into the door.

"Good evening," a slightly formal voice echoed on the other end, "I would like to have a talk with you, Miss."

Hand clenching on the doorknob, the mother hare took a few moments to think. Ultimately however, she decided to open the door. Her brown eyes fell upon a man who was of similar height to her, possibly taller. He wore a purple cloak, one that covered his face save for the silver muzzle. He wasn't a good person, anyone with eyes could tell that. And she couldn't wait to close the door.

"Listen," she said to the individual, "Whatever you're selling, I don't want."

Quickly, she closed the door, but it was fruitless. The man's foot was lodged between the door and the outside, keeping it open. She tried to force it close, but his hand pressed onto the opposite end, and it was stronger. Before the rabbit know it, she was standing in the eyesight of this individual, who had effortlessly pushed the door open.

"I didn't tell you to close the door, harlot!" the man barked, as he advanced upon her position.

"Hey!" she yelled back, "Get away, before I get angry!"

"Oh please, what are you going to do?" the man responded as he removed his cloak, revealing an albino echidna, with golden eyes, "You are Vanilla the rabbit, marital status unknown even though you have a six-year-old child," he continued walking forward, while the mother's heart started to beat rapidly, "I have watched you for a while, I know all you can do, which isn't much at all."

"Who are you, and what do you want!?" she barked, recanting all the words pertaining to 'adventure' she uttered earlier.

"My name is not of importance," he answered, his hand reaching around her neck in a touch so violently, "Why I'm here is of grave importance, woman," he tapped his head; a smile coming to his lips, "You know information I want, and I am not afraid to take it..." he moved closer, "A Chaos Emerald was here earlier. Where is it?"

"A Chaos what!?" Vanilla inquired through chokes and coughs of pain.

"A CHAOS EMERALD!" the echidna roared, "Do not test my patience! You know exactly what I'm talking about! My sensors pick up the Emerald was here recently and I want to know where it is!" his hold increased, "I followed the trail here! I know you know what I'm talking about! Go ahead, feign stupidity! If you do, it shall only end up painfully for you!"

"But I. Don't. KNOW!" the hare roared through pain.

His head cocked at an angle, as he stared into her eyes. Suddenly, his hand released her, dropping her to the ground. Gripping her own neck, the mother coughed in pain. Suddenly, the echidnas boot fell upon her chest, keeping her pinned. His hand suddenly began to shimmer a golden color; an orb of power forming in his hand. Vanilla grew wide-eyed at the sight, as he aimed this orb toward the wall.

Suddenly that orb was fired. It hit the wall and detonated, triggering an earthquake of an explosion. When the dust and debris had settled the rabbit's home was lacking one of its walls. Pipes, wires, and support beams were visible, as well as the outside. Vanilla started to shiver at the sight, while the echidna pressed on her chest, forcing her eyes back to him.

"I'm only going to ask this one more time," he murmured dauntingly, "Tell me where the Emerald is, or that wall, will become your face," he pressed harder, "Now..."

"Mom! What was that!?"

The younger rabbit walked down the stairs, only to stop as her brown eyes fell upon the destroyed wall. Growing terrified, the rabbit wisely began to walk backwards. Her eyes trekked along the room however, and eventually fell upon the man and her mother. The albino echidna with the golden eyes smile dementedly, as he finally walked off of Vanilla's chest. Slowly, he made his way toward the younger rabbit, while her mother screamed objections. But the child was so startled, she couldn't move. Not even as his hand wrapped around the back of her collar, and pulled her up to eye-level.

"Tell me little Cream," he whispered, "You know what a Chaos Emerald is, right?" she nodded, "Good. And you don't want me to hurt your mother anymore, right?" she shook her head, "Good!" he moved in a bit closer, "Tell me where the Chaos Emerald is, or I will kill your mother."

"But there was no Emerald here," Cream murmured, "Not one that I knew of."

"Ah, but that's where you are wrong," he stated, "This Emerald is... _different_. It lives, it breathes, like you or me. But it is not you our I, and it technically does not exist either. It's a rock that _thinks_ it's alive," he cocked his head, "It probably looks like a girl. A green-eyed one at that. But not just any green eyes. They are like forests themselves, made into orbs. Do you know what I'm talking about?" Cream nodded, "Do you know where it is?"

Cream nodded.

…

"What's a... train?" Tikal inquired as she held the ticket in her hand.

"It's a vehicle we need to ride in order to get to where we're going... I think I explained that right..." Amy answered with a perplexed face.

So far, the echidna wasn't liking it. Everyone was standing on the train platform, and it was the middle of rush hour. This meant everyone was trying to fetch a ride, and everyone was stuffed close to one another. The echidna found people brushing up against her every now and then, while inaudible information was given over the intercom. If these were the 'marvels' of city living, then she couldn't wait to get home in the countryside.

She did live in the countryside, right?

"That's odd..." Amy suddenly said, snapping the echidna's thoughts, "Cream and Vanilla aren't answering their phone. Not even Cheese, and Cheese always answers the home phone," shrugging, the pink hedgehog put away her cell phone, "I guess they have more important things to do."

_DING-DONG! Attention everyone! The train running to Emerald Town has been discharged for the evening. I repeated, the R32 to Emerald Town has been discharged for the evening. We apologize for any discomfort this might create._

There was an unruly sound of groans and roars echoing amongst the populace. Even Amy joined it, who started to slam her foot down upon the ground. Not understanding where all the unhappiness was coming from, Tikal wisely kept silent. Before she knew it, Amy was forcing her toward the door; her face still one of rage.

"I can't believe it was shut down today! Of all days!" she yelled as they stepped outside the train station.

"I don't get it," Tikal murmured, "What's going on?"

"The train we needed to catch to Emerald Town has been shut down," Amy groaned, "And the highway running to Emerald Town is locked down today, thanks to a recent Eggman attack..."

"A recent what attack?" the echidna inquired; even more perplexed than before.

"Never mind," Amy said, "Never mind. All you need to know is that we aren't going anywhere today. Not on a train, and not in a car."

Honestly, the last part of her words made Tikal's heart flutter. The less use of the 'car' the better. Still, Amy appeared to be unhappy with whatever was going on. But this was only for a few moments, before her smile returned. She was taking the echidna deeper into Central City, all the while smiling.

"Well, we don't have to go home now," the bubbly hedgehog stated, "It's still young in the day, and we are in the heart of Central City," she started to laugh, "Let's find my favorite hair salon! You'll love it, I assure you!"

"Hair salon?" Tikal murmured, unsure of what such a thing was.

There was no escape for her now, unfortunately. Amy's hand increased the hold it had on Tikal's, and she started tugging the echidna along. Before she knew, they were going deep into the city, all the while Amy giggled.

It was by some luck that _he _passed them, and they went unnoticed.

His golden eyes were well hidden beneath his cloak, his echidna body well guarded. If anyone knew what race of Mobian he was, that could destroy his entire mission. It's not often a robotic echidna strolls through the city, ya'know.

"What are you doing, Finitevus?" a voice buzzed into the cyborg's head, "Stop wasting time, and find the Emerald!"

"Shut your mouth Dimitri," Finitevus replied, his eyes looking down a passing alleyway, "I'm searching for her as best I can. Just wait. I'm tracking its energy signature, it shouldn't be too hard to find the rock."

"Just hurry up already," the disembodied head ordered, "I've been waiting four thousand years for this! And I will not wait a minute longer!"

"Just shut up..."

The radio died a moment later, causing the zealot to groan into the air. Shifting his gaze elsewhere, he caused his golden eyes to change into a red color.

"Hm..." he mumbled, "The Emerald was here... but where is it now?"

Catching hint of Chaos Energy, he began walking in the direction of it.

…

She sat perched on the green rock, one leg crossed over one another. As he stepped near it, she gave a smile; her head cocking to one side. Once he finally stepped foot on the altar, she rose a finger and wagged it in a 'come over' gesture. He did so without a moment's hesitation.

"Starman..." she whispered.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_So, yeah, chapt 3. I was going to post this yesterday, but I didn't get enough time to write it so... yeah... but, back to the story. _

_I really wanna talk about Tikal's outfit in this, and I guess the outfit for the rest of the story, sense characters rarely ever change their clothes. I really hate describing clothing, because that's how I am, but I still felt the need to do so for her. I mean, if I didn't, there's two ways you're seeing Tikal in this story. Naked, or in her tribal uniform, both are a no go. So, after some time on the internet, I got the perfect clothing for her. The clothing she has, is the same clothing Julia Chang has as her default costume in the Tekken series. That's Julia Chang, not her mother, Michelle Chang. Yeah, I'm a hardcore Tekken fan, I really am. I don't play as Julia, but I play a lot of Michelle in Tekken Tag Tournament 2. I chose Julia's costume because its very Native American-like, and that's just how I see Tikal. _

_Also, Finitevus. As you can see, he's being a bit brutal in this story. I mean, he was a terrible person in the last story, but I never got the chance to show how demented he was. Even in the comics, he's never shown as being excessively brutal. At least, not that I know of. But in this story, Finitevus is supposed to be desperate. He's been waiting for four thousands years for this, and he's not about to let anyone screw it up. Not even a mother and her child. So, excuse my handling of him if he seems a bit too evil. If such a thing is possible, that is._

_And lastly, Shadow. I can tell everyone is waiting for Shadow. Hell, I'm waiting for Shadow. So, all I ask of you all is wait. Till the next chapter, I promise, Shadow will come back. I promise._

_Promise._

_So, until next time._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	4. A Cat and Mouse Game

A Cat and Mouse Game

"Cream!"

His voice was what everyone needed to hear right now. The voice of a hero, it was enough to bring a smile to anyone's face, no matter what. When he stepped into the hospital room, he didn't know what to expect. The little hare sounded urgent, but to her, everything is urgent. That's not to mean he would ignore her. All she needed to do was cry, and he would be there in no time flat. Being the fastest thing alive, he was never to far from anything. Not matter what.

"I got here as fast as I could," he stated, "What happened?"

The small, mocha-colored rabbit, was standing on the bedside of her mother, her hands clenching tightly onto the bed sheets. Her eyes were strained and red, showing she had been crying her eyes out. The same held true for her little Chao, who was sitting on the bed with his eyes a bloodshot red. When the small rabbit saw the blue hedgehog behind her, the tears she was holding locked up quickly began to spill again. She ran into the hedgehog's arms, causing him to hold her up.

"Mr. Sonic!" she cried through hiccups and sobs.

"Cream," he whispered as calmly as he could, "What happened?"

He looked up passed her, and to the woman laying silent on the bed. She had a heart monitor tracing her heart beats, and a mask around her lips, a mask which gave her air. Slowly, the blue blur stepped forward, his hands tracing the bedside. Shaking his head, he could only wonder what being caused this. His eyes fell toward the papers detailing the mother hare's injuries. Swiping it in a manner so quickly, he ran his eyes along her various ailments.

It wasn't good. A few broken ribs, her neck held various bruises, and her windpipe was nearly crushed. Sonic was floored as he read this information. Of all the beings in the world, Vanilla the rabbit, Cream's mother, was the last person he'd expect anyone to treat cruelly. She was nice, always with a smile, and the sweetest person imaginable. The only person who could match her level of love, was her own daughter. The thought of anyone, _anyone_, treating her in such a brutal way, was inconceivable.

"Who did this?" he inquired, his voice filled with anger, "Cream! Who hurt your mother!?"

But the rabbit shook her head, as she sat down in a chair. Grabbing and pulling close her knees, the six-year-old began to cry again. She was so distraught by the occurrence, Sonic was sure it wasn't good to bring it up again. But he was still left without answers, and was still angry. But who was the person who rightfully deserved this anger? Eggman? No, he wasn't this brutal. Eggman Nega? Possibly, but the nutcase was busy stirring up troubles in the Sol Dimension. Some new villain? So far, it seemed like the most logical answer. Some new egomaniac was trying to make his mark on the world. And judging from the merciless nature of Vanilla's injuries, this new scoundrel meant business. He found his resolve, the hedgehog did. He was going to find the person who had the galls to hurt Vanilla like this. And he was going to make this person _pay_.

Vision shifting, he turned toward the door. Cream would be left with her mother, and he would hunt down their assailant.

"So...nic..." a pained cry echoed behind him.

Turning around, both he and Cream stared at the woman on the bed. She was awake now, though barely. Shakily, her hand rose to make a 'come near' gesture. The hedgehog did so quickly, and so did his mother. Now at Vanilla's bedside, the hedgehog found his arm being gripped tightly by the matriarchal rabbit.

"He... was... an... e...chid...na..." she immediately dropped her hand, and let loose the breath she was holding.

While Cream pleaded with her mother to wake, the hedgehog stepped back a few feet. He replayed her words in his head quite a few times, before finally realizing what she said.

"An echidna?" he repeated, shocked.

…

"They're called pigtails, Tikal!" the bubbly hedgehog said, her green eyes shining with glee.

The echidna she spoke to gazed longingly into her reflection, wondering what it was she was looking at. Her orange locks which were usually tamed into dreads, were now locked tightly in two long braids. These braids stretched far past her neck, and too her back. That's not to say her dreads were completely gone. In the front, the dreads still existed, it was only the hair in the back that compromised the pigtails Amy was gushing about.

"Do you like it?" the hair stylist, a fox, inquired with a smile.

Tikal wouldn't go as far to as to say she _liked_ them. With the weird world around her, the echidna's orange hair was the one thing she felt were familiar to them. Except now, they have been changed by this fox woman. But Tikal wouldn't say she disliked the braided pigtails either. They may not have been familiar to her, but if it helped her understand this world a bit more, she could deal with it. Besides, Amy had already paid for the tails, and she made it clear money was not something to be wasted.

Whatever 'money' is.

"Uh... yeah," Tikal said whilst nodded, "I like them."

Amy hopped and clapped her hands with giddy excitement, while the hair stylist began to talk over the cost. While the fox, and a very annoyed hedgehog, spoke about the payments, Tikal stood from the chair she sat on. Placing her hands behind her body, she walked toward the window of the hair salon.

Her green eyes scanned the various individuals passing currently. Also, she looked toward the tall buildings which stretched far beyond. Was she used to such sights? Or were these new to her? A part of her found them to be awe-inspiring works of titans, while another felt woefully indifferent. And there was a third part, one that was rising in her chest. A fearful part that was unsure if she should trust this world or not. Some of the denizens who passed the salon's window weren't who one would call 'trustworthy'. They looked evil, violent, and disturbed as well. But others were a lot like Amy. They were happy, smiling, and enjoying time with friends. This strange new world was giving such conflicting feelings.

"Tikal?" Amy called as she walked up behind her, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she whispered somberly, her arms crossing, "I'm fine..."

"You don't sound fine..." the hedgehog retorted in a knowing manner, "Tell me, what's on your mind?"

Starman, obviously. But she wouldn't let her friend know that.

"Oh, it's nothing," the echidna pressed with a smile, "Is there anything else you want to show me?"

"Is there?" Amy replied with a smile, "C'mon!"

She quickly grabbed the echidna's hand, and pulled her away toward the salon's exit. Little did they know the danger they avoided.

Outside the window, his golden optics a green color, was a certain albino echidna. He looked up and down, then toward the window of a certain hair salon. Farrah's Fancy, what a stupid name for any store, hair or other wise. Reading the title only made the echidna angrier.

"Dammit!" the albino echidna grumbled, "Where is that blasted Emerald at!?" he scanned the land before him with his eyes, "This area is filled with Chaos Energy and yet... it's not here!"

"Finitevus!" a voice yelled over his radio, "Stop wasting time and find the blasted Emerald!"

"Don't patronize me, Dimtri!" Finitevus barked back, "I'm searching for it as we speak!"

"Why haven't you just razed the land already?" the head of the Imperator inquired, "You would have found it by now, I assure you that!"

"Finding the Emerald will require its own level of finesse, Dimitri. I can't just run through and destroy everything. Not _yet _at least."

Suddenly, his Chaos Energy radar began to blink. Smiling maliciously, Finitevus ran off to investigate the power signature.

…

She remembered this. She didn't know why but, she remembered this.

It was a wall, an aged one at that. The corners were chipped and crumbling, showing it was over thousands of years old. The paint used on this was chipped and breaking, but it was so strong it somehow stood the test of time. Anyone could see what they were looking at, and describe it with great clarity.

It depicted a deity. He wore a helmet on his head, one that constricted any views of his face. From under the helm, red eyes peered out. His body was expertly covered in a cloak, constricting any views to his person. This deity was depicted as standing on a mountain, while a sea of stars sat behind him. Below him, thousands of hands. Hands of those who needed to be _judged_.

The echidna who gazed toward the wall felt her chest rise and lower. Her mind was rushing with emotions, all of which she did not understand. Unhappiness, anger, depression, yet at the same time, love, compassion, completeness. Why were these feelings running through her body right now?

She shook her head to and fro. Deep down, she wanted so desperately to cry. And yet she knew not why. What was it about this picture that got her so riled up emotionally. Was because of who it depicted? How this image depicted the Starman, _her_ Starman. She stretched out to touch it, though it was actually yards away and hidden behind a velvet rope.

Her green eyes searched for an answer to this, eventually falling upon a panel near the wall. Walking toward it, she found the panel held various information detailing the image in greater detail.

_The Great Judge_, was the supposed name of the picture, _believed to be crafted over thousands of years ago, this wall, discovered in the nineteen forties, portrays the echidna god known as the Starman. It has been said that the Starman descended from the heavens to protect the land of an evil tyrant. Thus, his name has become synonymous with the term 'justice' in the Mobian community._

Tikal placed her hands upon her lips, her eyes reading the words over and over again. Most specifically, she ran her eyes along the words 'thousands of years ago'. She didn't know why, but that strung a cord in her mind.

"Nice hair, girly." a sultry voice echoed behind the echidna.

She quickly turned around, just to see a white furred bat, with a sultry smile, approach the wall behind her. Tikal stepped back, an action which made the bat giggle for some reason.

"What's wrong?" the bat inquired, "Are you scared?"

"Who are you?" the echidna asked back, cutting straight to the point.

"Me?" the bat responded in a near flattering way, "Oh girly, my name is Rouge. You know, the owner of Club Rouge?"

"Rouge...?" Tikal repeated.

_Rouge is the kind of girl who could get any man... I guess..._

Where did those words come from? They made the echidna shake her head and twist her face in pain. Stepping back, she tried to quell the words which bounced around in her head. It wasn't working however.

"Hey, girly?" Rouge said, her hand finding Tikal's shoulder, "Are you okay?"

The touch of the bat's hand made the echidna nod. Gazing up, she found her emotions quelling, as her eyes laid upon the bat in question.

"Sorry..." she apologized, "I... don't have an excuse to my actions..."

Rouge smiled, that sultry smile of hers.

"Don't worry girly," she answered, her body turning to the mural of the Starman "Judging from your clothes, you are of a southern lifestyle. You were probably overwhelmed by my appearance, is all."

"Yeah..." Tikal responded, "Overwhelmed."

"So why the interest in the Starman?" Rouge asked next, her teal eyes taking brief glances at the echidna behind her, "Are you here for a history project or something?"

"No I was just..." Tikal shook her head, "_Remembering_ someone..." she looked at Rouge next, "Can you... tell me if you have any thoughts on the image?"

"I like it," Rouge answered, "My father used to tell me the story of the Starman as a bedtime story. Besides, in my line of work, it's quite important to remember the past," she smiled at Tikal, "Did you know we Mobian's get the word 'judge' from the Starman? Ancient echidna words for 'star' is 'jud', and seeing as how the Starman was known to be the great judge, it doesn't take long to figure out where we got the world from, hm?" she chuckled, "But that's just a bit of history for you. No one really knows what most of these echidnas were talking about, because most of us can't understand ancient echidna words."

That statement struck a cord in Tikal's mind.

"I can..." she answered, making Rouge's smile cease.

Before the bat could properly assess the echidna's words, the voice of a bubbly hedgehog echoed out to them.

"Tikal!" Amy cried, "There you are!"

She ran to the echidna's side, making her turn around to meet her. Amy was, at first, happy, but when her eyes fell upon Rouge, she quickly grew angry. Rouge did too, though the sultry bat's rage was well hidden behind her visage.

"Rouge..." Amy sneered.

"Amy..." Rouge snarled.

"Let's go, Tikal," the hedgehog said next as she pulled the echidna off, "The air suddenly reeks of... _debauchery_."

"Okay, um..." she faced Rouge one last time as she and Amy left through the exit, "Thanks Ms. Rouge for the talk."

Rouge smiled and nodded, though that smile quickly fell when the echidna was out of sight. Shifted her vision to the hall near her, the bat gazed down to see a shimmering jewel. A smile grew on her face as she licked her lips. With a sway of her hips, the sexy bat made her way for the shimmering blue jewel.

…

_Do you... have any ____other __friends._

_ What kind of other friends?_

_ Friends like... maiden, friends... Female... friends..._

_ Yes... Her name is Rouge..._

_ Really... Is she a... beautiful woman?_

_ Yeah... I suppose... Rouge is the kind of girl who could get any man... I guess... Why does it matter?_

She remembered that conversation. They were in a dark area, her and the Starman, a cave perhaps. She had asked him that question after they had spoken of the afterlife. She wanted to know more about him, more about the Starman. She wanted to know if he had friends. But, most importantly, she wanted to know if she had _competition_.

"Tikal," Amy suddenly said, snapping the echidna free of her intransigent thoughts, "We need to talk."

"Talk about what?" the echidna inquired.

"About who you talk to," the hedgehog said, turning around to face her, "There are just people you shouldn't talk to in this world, Tikal."

They were in the middle of the city, the sunset was now passing. The night sky was visible, though a few rays of light still stretched from beyond the horizon. With the time, it appeared as if the streets had grown a few octaves quieter. Not many cars drove on the roads, and not many people walked on the sidewalks either. It appeared to just be them, now.

"I don't understand what you're trying to tell me." Tikal murmured, her hands placed on her chest.

"Just don't talk to that bat!" Amy spat, "Rouge! She's an annoying one!"

"But, Rouge is a friend. She even knew who the Starman was."

Amy took an almost insulted look as she gazed to the echidna.

"Oh!?" she stated, "So if Rouge talks about the Starman, it's all okay, but if _I _talk about the Starman, you almost blow up my apartment!" her face grew red, "Who exactly _is_ the Starman, Tikal!?"

The echidna may not have completely understood the world around her, but she knew when she was being berated. And she was no child. In fact, if one were to compare ages, then Tikal would be older than Amy, both physically _and_ mentally. And the thought of being scolded by someone who was years older, was enough to enrage the echidna.

"Listen Amy!" she suddenly barked, causing the hedgehog to stop her tirade, "If you're just going to yell at me, then I will take myself elsewhere!"

"Wait, Tikal, I didn't mean it like that!"

But it was too late, for the echidna had already spun around and started to walk away. She only took a few steps however, before her eyes fell upon an interesting sign.

_You are now entering Night Babylon,_ the sign said. Gazing beyond the sign, the echidna could see a city that invoked thousands of dark images. These feelings were only enhanced with the sun finally disappeared, and night took over. Before she knew it, the echidna was running off for the city; her friends calls failing to touch her ears.

Tikal ran and ran, stopping only when she was sure she stood in Night Babylon. The city lights illuminated the lands, allowing her to see everything. The stars overhead were dimmed out thanks to the lights, but the city had _stars_ of its own. The signs that lay in the city were all of various levels of adulthood. From clubs and casinos, to the bottom of the barrel, being strip clubs and brothels. But one club stood out from the rest. One that sat with its sign on full display.

Club Rouge.

The echidna smiled, finding friendship in the bat she had met. Besides, Rouge was an older woman, she would know what to do. Tikal started walking for the club, but stopped when she felt _something_. It slid across her leg, up her thigh, under her jean skirt, and touched her panties. She may not have completely understood the modern era, but even she knew that wasn't a good touch.

"Nice legs..." someone whispered into her ears, "How much do you _cost_?"

Was he propositioning her for sex? She had never heard of such a thing, well, not of her at least. No one ever asks her for such an action. She turned slowly, and her green eyes met the eyes of an other individual. A man with a considerable age difference in comparison to hers. He was also taller as well. Yet this man was no Mobian, he was a human of all things.

"How much... do I... cost...?" Tikal answered, still in complete awe that this was happening.

"I've got the money, and the place," he responded, his hands reaching for her chest, "And you most definitely have the goods."

What goods was he talking about? When his hands fell upon them, Tikal realized what the meant. _Those goods_. Funny, Tikal could only remember _one_ person who touched her in this place. And this man was _not_ that person_._

Her eyes turned red.

…

"When I was Imperator," his voice roared through the radio, "The Nocturnus clan took what we wanted, when we wanted it, and destroyed anyone who said otherwise!"

"Why don't you just shut... up...?" the albino echidna spoke back into the radio.

"You're being too soft, Finitevus!" the decapitated head on the other end stated, "Destroy and torture anyone who fails to give you information, and find the Emerald already!"

"Dimitri... shut your tra-"

He suddenly stopped. Before he knew it, his Chaos Energy radar was going off the charts. He looked left and right in search of the power source, eventually causing his eyes to fall upon the city of Night Babylon. A malicious and sadistic grin appeared on the albino's face as he now realized the Emerald was near. Without a second thought, he dashed off for the power source at high-speeds.

…

Everyone around her was sent running. The bark she sent out caused the earth to shake, and flung bodies in every direction. It seemed as if the entire city of Night Babylon had come to a complete halt, thanks to her sudden outburst. Those forest green eyes of hers were now an uncharacteristic blood-red, as she breathed in and out violently. Deep down inside, she couldn't believe anyone touched her in such a way, and asked such lewd things of her. It was enough to make her explode, both mentally _and_ physically.

"Tikal..." a certain hedgehog's voice echoed behind her, "Did you... do this...?"

The echidna turned around, laying her eyes on the sakura hedgehog. Amy was shocked by the carnage which had unfolded around her. She watched Tikal roar, and that one simple roar blew everyone away, while destroying some objects near her. When Tikal's eyes fell on Amy, the red color of her orbs returned to their unnatural green color. Suddenly, a sharp pain ricocheted through her head, causing the echidna to wince.

"Urgh!" she let out, "What happened? I suddenly have the biggest headache!"

"What did I say, Tikal!?" Amy yelled again, "Night Babylon is not a place we should be at! I've been here, like, four times, and each time I've had people ask me for..." her face grew into a blush, "Well, it's wise not to talk about it," she grabbed the echidna's hand, "Can we please just go home? I don't care if you are mad at me, we'll just when we get back to the apartment."

With her head hurting so much, there was very little Tikal could do in the way of talking back. Nodding her head, she allowed the pink hedgehog to take her wherever she pleased. At least until her head stopped hurting.

Amy began to take her back toward Central City, but this shaded figure stopped them. He stood, directly opposed to them, some yards away. Amy tried her best to ignore this individual, and attempted to shift over to the opposite sidewalk. But as she crossed the street with Tikal in her arms, she found the cloaked being was following her every movement. Stopping now, directly in the middle of the silent road, Amy hunched over and pointed a threatening finger at this man.

"Listen!" she barked, "We are not prostitutes! If you want one! Go to Club Rouge back there!"

To her surprise, she heard the cloaked being chuckle.

"Oh please, Miss Rose," he commented, making her eyes widen, "You are hardly what I would call... _prostitute_, material."

"WHAT!?" she barked, forgetting what his words held, "I'm the greatest woman you're ever going to meet! Much better than some two-bit whore!" then it hit her, "Wait... how did you know my name?"

"Oh I know everything about you, Amelia Rose," the cloaked figure stated, "Tell me, how is your cousin Rob doing, hm?"

Now that was doubly dubious. Amy had never spoken of her cousin before, only to her friends. How did this person know who her cousin was? Was this some kind of joke?

"But enough of these formalities," the cloaked man pulled back his hood, revealing an albino echidna with golden eyes, "Now... hand over the Emerald."

"What Emerald?" Amy inquired, as she stepped back, "I don't have one."

"Don't lie to me girl," the albino echidna stated as he stepped back, "The Emerald is right there," he pointed, "_Behind_ you."

With great hesitance, Amy turned around. Her green eyes fell upon the green eyes of a confused orange echidna. Tikal gazed up to her, then over to the albino echidna, only to ultimately point at herself.

"Who," she commented, "Me?"

"Yes," he said, "Now come back, darling Emerald, I have many needs for you."

Tikal shook her head, however. She remembered this man, though she remembered very little. She could recall times of extreme brutality, and torture. But was it from his hands? Who was he, and why did she feel so uneasy around him. Why did she fear him so?

"Listen! Mr... uh..." Amy said, fumbling with her words.

"Finitevus... _Doctor_ Finitevus..." the echidna answered.

"Well, uh, _Doctor_ Finitevus. I don't know who you are, but Tikal is no Emerald."

"She has you fooled," the overzealous doctor answered, "She may act like a living person, but she is nowhere near alive. She is an Emerald girl, and one I would rather like have come back to me," he waved his hand in a come hither motion, "So please. Return to my side."

Tikal suddenly tugged on Amy's shoulder, relaying her feelings to the hedgehog. This caused the bubble girl to withdraw her trusted Piko Piko Hammer, and ready herself for battle.

"That's not going to happen, Dr. Finitevus!"

To her surprise, he sighed.

"Well, I can't say that I _wasn't _expecting this," his vision shifted back down, "Though I can say this won't take too long."

He moved back his cloak, transforming in into a cape before their very eyes. His hands were covered in heavy, bulky black and gold gloves, the same as his feet and legs. His great silver belt stretched around his waist, and belied a cold feeling to his body. When gazing up to his face, he quickly removed the small glasses from his head, and his lips bent into a frown. Amy felt sweat drag down her face, as Finitevus gave off a demented aura. Deep down inside, she was regretting her decision to battle.

But the wind suddenly stirred. Amy and Tikal felt their skirts flutter up thanks to the gale, the same could be said for Finitevus' cape. The doctor quickly regained his tall stance, as he shook his head.

"I knew _you_ would be arriving soon..." he commented, "You always know when to show up when you're most needed, don't you, _hero_?"

Amy's face gained a fanatic shine, as she noticed a certain blue figure behind her enemy. Finitevus turned around, and met the green eyes of Mobius' hero himself. Sonic the hedgehog.

"Oh! Sonic!" Amy yelled, preparing herself to tackle him right then and there.

"Not now, Amy!" he barked back, causing her to quiet down. She had never heard him take such a tone before, "You..." his gaze shifted back to the albino echidna before him, "You're the one, aren't you. You're the person who attacked Vanilla!"

To his surprise, Finitevus began to laugh, while Amy grew shocked.

"Attacked Vanilla!?" she stated in surprise.

"Indeed, Sonic the hedgehog," Finitevus stated, "I am the one who attacked Ms. Vanilla..." he chuckled, "And _what_ are you going to do about it?"

"You asked that question?" Sonic snapped back, "I can't believe someone would hurt Vanilla like that! That was beyond cruel!"

"Well how about this," Finitevus commented, his head cocking to one side, "Sonic the hedgehog, let me send you to the same hospital as Vanilla! Then you can be near her all you want!"

"I'm going to make you suffer for that!" Sonic barked.

Suddenly, he dashed forward. But as that occurred, everything stopped around Finitevus. He gazed to Sonic, rage on his face, as he made his way forward. But to the doctor he could see after images all around him. Images of Sonic, images that held various differences in attacks and strikes. As the hedgehog dashed toward him, his mechanical mind narrowed down what he could do, to three options. Option number one, he could appear behind him in a sudden feint attack. Option two, he could roll into a spin dash and strike him in the chest. And option number three, he could perform his tornado kick, where he leaps in the air, and spins with his foot out in a horizontal manner.

When Sonic took a hop, Finitevus realized it was option number three. Just as he predicted, Sonic started to spin horizontally in the air, with his foot out. With great ease, Finitevus lifted his hand and deflected the attack, much to the blue hedgehog's surprise. But he was not deterred. Upon landing on the ground, Sonic struck at Finitevus with a flurry of rapid punches. With each strike, the albino echidna predicted a thousand outcomes. Because of this, he was able to easily dodge any attack launched at him. Even when Sonic mixed it up with a kick, Finitevus would dodge the strike with little to no effort.

But one kick opened up a spot. The albino echidna quickly crossed his arms, while he delivered an earth shattering kick to Sonic's gut. The strike easily knocked the air the hedgehog was holding, and forced him to cease his assault. But the doctor was not pleased with just one kick. He delivered another kick across Sonic's face, then another, all the while keeping his arms crossed in his uppity pose. Ultimately, Finitevus ended his strikes with a powerful headbutt, one that sent Sonic crashing into the earth.

The hedgehog quickly recoiled however, and returned to his feet. That's not to say Finitevus attacks didn't faze him, however. Sonic was rendered gasping for breath, as he pondered his next course of action.

"How did -huff- do that?" he inquired through pants for breath.

"Oh I know everything about you, son of Jules the hedgehog," Finitevus answered, "Your name, your age, your height, your weight, where you live, _everything_," he suddenly tapped his head, "This includes your fighting style. While affective, I dare say myself, its easy to see through your defense, or should I say, lack thereof," Finitevus laughed like the madman he was, "So go ahead! Attack me! You will find that all your actions are fruitless!"

"We'll see about that!" the blue blur yelled.

Suddenly he ducked down, and entered a spin dash. Just like the last time, Finitevus came up with a thousand possibilities of attacks. Narrowing down Sonic's attempts to three options, the echidna readied himself to counterattack. Sonic suddenly fired a blast of wind toward Finitevus, a blast created from the friction of his spin. Grinning, Finitevus deflected the attack by swiping his hand through the air. Immediately, he spun around and grabbed Sonic by his neck.

The blue hero was shocked by Finitevus quick actions. He was sure his feint would catch the doctor off guard, but this was not the case. With a cocky nature, the albino echidna tapped his head, as he chuckled loudly.

"Do you not listen boy?" he inquired, "My mind is made up of the greatest computer known to the living world! You can't stop me!"

"LET HIM GO!" Amy's voice cried.

Finitevus turned around, just as her Piko Piko Hammer swung to strike his head. The echidna easily placed his hand on the handle of the hammer however, stopping her movements dead. Then, he tore the hammer from her hand, wielded it effectively, and struck her across the face with it. The force of the blow sent her crashing into a bench.

"Foolish girl..." he mumbled under his breath.

Suddenly, Finitevus was knocked off his feet. He watched the pavement grow closer as he fell to it, but to his surprise, he was kicked farther away. Easily, the doctor recoiled in the air, and landed on his feet and hands. Turning around, he eyed Sonic, who had finally gotten back to his feet.

"That brain of yours," Sonic commented, "It doesn't help you plan for attacks from behind, does it?"

"It does more than you could every account for!" Finitevus remarked, his moxie before failing due to the attack.

Sonic shook his head however, and regained his battling position.

"Attacking from behind may not be my thing," he commented, "But I'll do it if it means you'll go down."

Before Finitevus could say anything, Sonic dashed forward again. But this time, instead of attacking directly, he began to run around his foe. Finitevus looked left and right, watching as the area around him turned a blue color. Swiftly, Sonic struck from behind; sure that his run around confused his foe enough to merit a weak spot. It didn't, as when he got to the doctor's position, Finitevus quickly appeared behind him. He suddenly felt his leg be caught up in Finitevus' powerful, as the doctor rose him high. With an uproarious laughter, the doctor tossed the blue blur away like he was nothing.

The albino echidna's eyes widened the next instant. Turning around, his hand grabbed Amy by the chest. She froze up; now realizing her sneak attack was ruined. Just like Sonic, Finitevus lifted the pink hedgehog high and threw her away. He landed in the arms of Sonic, who was getting up after his attack. Looking down, his green eyes met Amy's, who couldn't help but to smile

"Oh Sonic," she said, her voice lovey-dovey, "I don't ever want you to let go."

He looked up however, directly toward Finitevus. The echidna's golden eyes turned a red, as he scanned his target. Suddenly, his open palm aimed out and directly toward his foe. Sonic pulled back, and Finitevus fired a small, glimmering blast. When the glimmering blast met the blue blur, it exploded. The street of Night Babylon erupted in a glowing yellow light, as Finitevus chuckled maliciously. When the blast subsided, Sonic was hunched down over Amy's body. This disappointed the doctor, as he really wanted to kill the hedgehogs. It seemed he hadn't put enough energy into the attack.

The blue blur struggled to his feet a few moments later, revealing wounds all over his body. He had taken the brunt of the attack in order to protect Amy, but because of this, he rendered himself unable to battle. He was struggling to stand, and one of his arms was broken, meaning he could no longer move it for the remainder of the battle. But being the hero he was, he started walking forward in a taunting manner.

"What?" he inquired, "Is that all?" he coughed in pain, "C'mon, echidna! Let's go!"

"Oh how suicidal the youth is these days," Finitevus bemoaned, "Nevertheless, I'll give you what you want."

He leveled his hand toward Sonic and started to charge yet another orb of energy. But this one was going to kill the hedgehog for sure. Finitevus knew it, and even Sonic knew it. But he would not show fear, nor would he give in. Taking a position, he braced himself for the attack.

And Finitevus fired. But before the attack could connect, Tikal leaped in the way. The blast of energy slammed into her body, and a green shock wave was expelled. But instead of killing her like the blast should have, Tikal, Sonic and Finitevus watched as it absorbed into her body. Before anyone knew it, the attack was gone, leaving Tikal standing before the blue blur with her arms stretched out.

"Ow..." she whispered, "Ugh... that hurt..."

"Remarkable..." Finitevus stated in awe, as he lowered his hand.

"The Emerald is there, Finitevus!" Dimitri roared over the radio, "Kill the hedgehogs and take her this instant!"

The albino echidna nodded and started walking forward. His slow, malicious footsteps moved closer and closer to his victims. Tikal was scared and knew not what to do, while Sonic was too injured too do anything. That didn't stop him from realizing the person in front of him, should not have been in front of him.

"Tikal..." he murmured through pain, "What are you doing here?"

She turned slowly and faced him.

"Sonic... I..."

Her words were cut-short, by way of a hand around her neck. Gazing down, she stared into the frenzied golden eyes belonging to Finitevus. The echidna chuckled, as he applied even more pressure to the Tikal's neck. She quickly lost air, and was rapidly losing consciousness as well. Her arms fell, her eyes closed, she lurched back, and...

A kick. A swift kick, right across Finitevus' face. It forced him to release Tikal's neck, and made him step back as well. The attacker landed on the ground with great finesse, and crossed her arms in an uppity position. Her bat wings flapped, her teal eyes gazed to her attacker, and she licked her lips.

"I swear," Rouge commented as she shook her head, "You echidnas are multiplying. First there was one annoying echidna, now there are three. Sigh... when is it going to end."

"You're going to pay for your interruption!" Finitevus sneered as he rubbed his head, "With your life!"

"Do you have any idea how many times I've heard that statement?" the bat replied, as she looked over her shoulder to Sonic. Tikal was rendered dazed by Finitevus' choke, causing Sonic to get down on his knees and tend to her.

"Thanks Rouge," Sonic murmured, "I... owe you one..."

"Just keep the echidna safe, blue boy," she answered as her eyes shifted back to Finitevus, "I'll deal with these echidna right here."

"You couldn't attempt to handle me," the doctor remarked with a cocky smile, "I'll end you within a few moments."

"Are you sure about this?" Rouge flirted, her feet bringing her closer, "Because _we _have something to say about that. Don't we, _Shadow_?"

"Shadow...?" Finitevus repeated, before it hit him.

He turned quickly and stared up the road. And there he was. The hedgehog himself. Arms crossed, face ever so stern, and red eyes shooting icy cold glares. Finitevus locked up as he realized who stood before him.

It was him. It was, the _Starman_.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Ah fights. Everyone knows I love to write them, and I have not disappointed. I mean, what, did you expect the sequel to Tribal Dance would have no fighting? Then you thought wrong my friend. Oh so very wrong._

_Anyway, this chapter has what you want, right? Maybe not. Amy and Tikal somewhat bonded through the city, Sonic has finally met Finitevus, and best of all, Shadow finally showed up. What does this mean? Should you even be asking, it's quite obvious. _

_Also, Finitevus is much more powerful in this story. Before he was cold and calculating, and not a fighter at all. He was more behind the scenes, and got everyone else to do his dirty work for him. But now, he's fighting and he's strong. Something I didn't get too in the story is that Finitevus' robotic mind is actually a Gizoids brain. Since his original body was destroyed by Enerjak, he escaped death by putting his mind in the body of a Gizoid, remember? Well, after crafting himself a new body, he decided to put a Gizoid's thought process in his mind as well. So far it's working, don't you think? I mean, he fought Sonic and Amy by himself, and used his genius intellect to predict all of their moves. How is that not effective?_

_Plus, Finitevus references some of Amy and Sonic's family. Rob is Amy's cousin in the comics, and Jules is Sonic's father in the comics. Don't worry, these characters won't be showing up in the story, primarily because Jules is dead. Well, not really but he is a robot. He just rarely shows up, I keep forgetting he's alive. _

_Well, one fight down, possibly more to go. I don't know when the next will happen, but hey. Howls from the Past man. Howls from the Past._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	5. Creation

Creation

The echidna tried his best to cover his face, but it was too late. The hedgehog had seen him, despite his attempts to keep his identity hidden. This was the primary reason why he wanted to keep a low profile. He feared this hedgehog, he feared his very existence. He had good reason too, after all. The being written in thousands of text, the being who was responsible for his defeat the last time. The being who's very name had become synonymous with 'justice' and 'judge'. The being who was worshiped thousands of years ago.

The Starman.

Tikal found her green eyes locking on him so tightly. The way he moved, it was so surreal. She could remember very little. She couldn't remember where she came from, or where she lived, she could barely remember her friends which had taken her in. But she could remember him. She remembered everything about him. His cold voice, his demonic visage, she could even remember the pain he held deeply within. Above all however, she could remember his _love_.

She wilted from his sight. With her hands, she covered her face, and shuffled her way closer to Sonic's body. His arms held tightly onto her, for he believed she just needed protection. It was quite to opposite, really. She needed Sonic to hold her back, to stop her from doing something unnecessary. Because she _was_ going to do something unnecessary.

"Hell must have opened up, to bring you here," Shadow stated, his arms crossing in their usual daunting manner, "I recommend you split town, Finitevus," the hedgehog thus ordered, his eyes moving into a squint, "Less you want me to destroy you."

"A friend of yours, Shadow?" Rouge inquired from behind the albino echidna, "It's not often where you refer to someone on a first name basis."

"Believe me," Shadow bemoaned, "I wished I had never met this fool in my life."

Such words would have enraged Finitevus, had he been any other man. But the person belittling him was no other man. He was _thee_ man. The Starman, that is. As demented as the doctor was, he too had to respect the power which leveled far greater than his own. He originally thought the hedgehog was nothing more than a basket case. But thanks to the thousands of years of worship, he too saw the hedgehog as more than just a hedgehog.

"Rouge..." the Starman suddenly said, "Get ready."

In the blink of an eye, his hand fired a blast of yellow energy. Through luck and adrenaline, Finitevus dodged the strike. But it was only a ruse, one he neglected to count on. He was suddenly knocked off of his feet, thanks to a sliding kick delivered by the bat behind him. Instead of crashing into the earth however, the albino echidna landed on his knees and hands. His mind was rushing with thoughts all pertaining to 'How did this happen?' These thoughts were dashed however, when he felt a monstrous press onto his back.

It was Shadow, who had leaped onto his exposed back with a great stomp. He made sure to make Finitevus suffer too, as he applied as much pressure to his press as he could at the moment. The overzealous doctor expelled an energy shield from his body however, forcing Shadow to leap back and off. Getting to his feet, Finitevus gripped his back and chest. His mechanical body may not have felt injuries, but it screamed with problems. It currently told him to retreat, unless he wanted more damage done to his body.

"Shadow," Rouge called, "Can we end this now? I have a club to tend too," she smiled, "Combination Drei would do."

Shadow nodded, while Finitevus grew wide-eyed. Suddenly the hedgehog dashed forward, his ally follow close by. Lifting his arms, Finitevus scanned the various outcomes of Shadow's moves. Even though he narrowed the outcomes to three, Shadow performed none of them. Instead, he appeared right behind the doctor in a black blur. Finitevus spun around to meet him, where he saw Shadow's backside.

"Who are you looking at?" the hedgehog inquired maliciously.

The doctor, growling with rage, lifted his fist and prepared to punch him. But a sudden, powerful strike to his spine stopped him. Rouge's spiky heel was jabbed directly into the echidna's backside, stopping him from doing anything. But it wasn't over. Shadow quickly lifted his elbow, and smashed it into Finitevus' face. Even the doctor's supercomputer brain had no answers for this.

Then a heavy strike to the kick, thanks to a certain white furred bat. He bent to the strike; his robotic mind rushing to settle the problem. He gripped her leg, and prepared to throw her, but a swift chop was delivered to his neck. He immediately released Rouge, in order to deal with the hedgehog that had stricken him. Once again however, his antics were ruined by the bat he neglected to deal with. Rouge delivered another kick to his exposed side, knocking him away toward the streets edge. Gazing up, his eyes laid upon Shadow and Rouge, who were both extremely coy about the situation. The hedgehog kept his arms crossed, his face stern, while Rouge retained her sultry smile, and fists on her hips.

"Allow me..." the hedgehog grumbled lowly as he walked for Finitevus.

"Be my guess, handsome." Rouge replied with a small chuckle.

Shadow cleared the distance between himself and Finitevus shortly. The doctor pulled back, as the feeling of fear started to take him. Squinting, he quickly fired a bolt of energy, an attack Shadow dodged with great ease. Finitevus actions only hastened the inevitable, however. Shadow gripped his wrist in a hold so tight, and broke it by twisting his hand. Finitevus eyes widened as he watched his hand point the opposite way. But the Starman wasn't finished yet.

He started glowing red, a violent red. A burning aura oozed from his body, as his pupils and iris turned as white as rice. His hold on Finitevus grew tightly, too tight to break free of. The hedgehog started to growl dementedly, as the earth quaked under his toes.

"Finitevus..." the hedgehog growled, "Finitevus!" the doctor shook his head, "CHAOS BURST!"

"NO!" Finitevus roared back, "RETURN TO BASE!"

The rings rapped on around his wrists expanded and shined. They grew as large as Finitevus body, and absorbed him in a shimmering light. Right when Shadow's attack erupted, the rings vanished into thin air. The multicolored blast roaring from the Starman's body destroyed the road around him. When his attack settled, he was hunched over; steam rising from his body, as he breathed in and out heavily.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Shadow," Rouge commented as she wagged her finger, an action which brought his eyes over to her, "How many times must I tell you? No Chaos Powers until someone," she pointed to one of his wrists, which was lacking a certain golden band, "Puts a ring around that wrist."

He gripped his naked wrist, and growled lowly. She was right though. He could already feel his powers slipping because he lacked the band. It was foolish decision, he was man enough to admit it. But he'd be damned if it didn't feel so _good_. Gazing into Finitevus' eyes, it made his blood boil. What was that damned albino echidna doing _alive_? And not just from age, Shadow watched himself as he was obliterated by a certain echidna god. After an attack like that, he should have been nothing but dust. Four thousand-year-old dust, that is.

No matter. The Starman would just have to rectify a four thousand-year-old problem.

"Starman...?"

The hedgehog's eyes widened. No one knew him by that name, not anyone alive, that is. But the voice sounded so familiar. Too familiar. He straightened up his body, and kept his back turned. Through his mind, he analyzed the voice, trying his hardest to remember who it was. When he came to realize who it was, exactly, he locked up. The angelic voice, it could only be one person.

He turned slowly, as if he wasn't going to like what he was about to see. No, he was in _disbelief_, at what he was about to see. His eyes started on the ground, only to slide up her slender frame. Her hand was being gripped by Sonic's in an attempt to keep her pinned. But he was too weak, and she was too ecstatic. With ease, she broke the blue blur's grasp, and ran to _him_.

"Tikal..." he whispered lowly, before his lips were silenced by hers.

…

One week ago...

She was gone now. Gone where? He didn't know. He just stood there, where they were, in the temple of the Starman. In the temple built around himself. He gazed to the ground, then up to the ceiling, and finally over to his helmet and cape. Walking to it, he placed his hands upon the purple cowl. Despite how old it was, it looked just as new as the day he put it on. Did anyone know where he really got the cape from? How he pried it from the body of a random Gizoid? Possibly not, that would make him seem less like a god, and more like a simple man.

He gazed up to the helmet next, and placed his hand upon it as well. His thumb slid across the imprint of the star, which sat on the helmet's front. Thousands of years ago, he used this helmet to constrict his face, as he battled a god. Maybe it was best he kept the helmet and cloak here, in this temple. If he used it again, he'd probably do something stupid. Like fight another god.

His vision shifted down to the Emerald in his hand. It pulsated with power, a power he barely understood, yet used everyday. Clenching it tightly, the hedgehog put the Emerald away as he faced the temple's exit. Walking free of it, he found the place to be oddly familiar. As if he had stepped in and out of the temple before. It was possible, considering all the time he spent in the past.

But enough of that. There was someone he was supposed to meet, someone he thought was going to be by his side now. But of course, the Master Emerald had its own agenda. He should have planned for this, instead of acting out of the spur of the moment. Through the mile long destroyed city, he gazed to a certain golden jewel. It was perched high on an altar, visible to all who gazed in its direction. After cracking his neck, the hedgehog started walking for it.

The hedgehog could have easily run for it, and been there in no time flat. He simply chose to walk, as if it was better to make his way over slowly, instead of quickly. His hand still held tightly onto the Emerald in hand. He trekked up to the altar, stepping foot on the long staircase toward it. One after another, he made his way slowly toward the great rock. He eventually came into contact with a woman.

She sat perched on the green rock, one leg crossed over one another. As he stepped near it, she gave a smile; her head cocking to one side. Once he finally stepped foot on the altar, she rose a finger and wagged it in a 'come over' gesture. He did so without a moment's hesitation.

"Starman..." she whispered.

He squinted at the sight of this phantasmal woman. Her dreads were floating through the air in a heavenly fashion, giving her the visage of an angel. He knew this woman, he had met her before. A thousand years before, in fact. But why was she here? Seeing her didn't bend the hedgehog's face though; he retained his emotionless visage.

"Akna..." the hedgehog murmured.

"You remember my name," she stated as she bent back, "I'm surprised."

"Why are you here?" he inquired as if she said nothing, his hands laying onto the Emerald.

"What did I tell you, Starman?" she whispered back, "About that serious, perfectionist attitude of yours. It'll get you killed, ya'know..." she regained this serious face now, one that matched his own, "You've opened up a void, Judge. A void that holds nothing but... _Chaos_..."

"What are you talking about?" he inquired as his eyes darted left and right.

"She's not here, Starman," Akna continued as she tapped the Master Emerald's hide, "She won't even be in existence for a while," she shook her head, "Nothing like this has ever happened before, and the Master Emerald doesn't know what to do."

"What is it doing?" he asked, his eyes falling upon her.

"It's doing what you asked," the original Master Emerald protector answered, "It is... _creating_ her," she shook her head, "The dream you wanted to be real. You wanted my daughter, to be real, Starman. And the Master Emerald is giving it to you," she started to tend to her hands, "As we speak, the Master Emerald is creating your priestess."

"I don't understand what you mean," Shadow remarked, "How can it create someone who already exists?"

"Didn't you listen to me?" Akna retorted, "The Master Emerald has never faced a problem like this. It's only doing what it can."

"And what does that mean?" he shook his head, "I mean... for _her_. For... _Tikal_..." he looked back up to the motherly echidna, "You've existed with the Chaos Force for a while. What does all of this mean, Akna?"

She placed her finger onto her face, and rubbed her cheek in a thinking manner. Gazing back down, her face of dissonance seemingly increased in power.

"If I could say so myself..." she began, "She's not going to be the same. She'll remember somethings, her name, maybe me and her father, maybe Chaos, but I'm not sure what else. She probably won't remember who she is, but she'll remember important things. She'll remember people, individuals she has had important connections too," she smiled, "Maybe even you, Starman," she shrugged next, and her smile fell, "But whose to say? As I just said, the Master Emerald has never faced a problem like this before. For all we know, Tikal might remember absolutely nothing. She might be rendered childlike, even babylike, in thought. Or maybe she'll remember everything. Whose to say? All I know is, you'll have to wait..."

"But I can't wait!" Shadow roared, "I... I can't make _her_ wait any longer... Not after..."

His vision shifted elsewhere, while he grumbled with hidden anger. Feeling Akna's hand on his shoulder however quelled the rage swelling within him.

"There's no need to get angry, Starman," Akna murmured, "It won't solve anything," she sighed, "I recommend you wait. When the time comes, you'll see Tikal again. I believe you said it perfectly yourself. You two have an... Immortal Bond, or something silly like that. You two are bound to run into one another, in any way shape or form. You just have to wait for it to happen, okay?"

Her words held precedence in his mind. He stood tall, and crossed his arms. Though he bemoaned the feelings going through his head, he knew Akna to be right. He had little reason to dispute her, ya'know.

"But..." the echidna suddenly said.

"But...?" Shadow answered in surprise.

"For four thousand years, my daughter was one with the Master Emerald," Akna started to ascend in the air, "There is no way something good can come of that. I recommend you be prepared, Starman."

"Prepared for what?" he inquired.

"Perfect... Chaos..." she answered.

He blinked and she was gone. Her visit seemed to have the opposite effect on him than what he would have liked. While she ceased his rage momentarily, it was threatening to rise up once again. He wasn't sure if he could wait any longer. Waiting is what got him into this mess. He didn't want to wait anymore.

"Yo Shadow," Knuckles called as he landed onto the Emerald Altar, "Who were you talking too?"

That's right, the echidna allowed him to speak to the Master Emerald in the first place.

"No one..." Shadow murmured, "I just... needed some answers."

"Then I hope you found them," the Master Emerald protector commented as he performed a few stretches, "Me personally, I'm about to go to sleep, right over there," he pointed to a nice little teepee hut that sat on the outer rim of the Altar, "I was just checking to see if you were still here or not."

"Don't worry," the hedgehog murmured as he started walking away, "I'm about to make my way home now," he stopped right at the edge however, right as Knuckles started to down the staircase, "And Knuckles... thank you..."

The echidna stopped, as he replayed those last words in his mind. Facing Shadow, he was surprised to see the hedgehog was already gone. Knuckles shook his head and scratched at the same time, whilst wondering if he heard what Shadow said.

"Did he just say... _thanks_?" he asked of himself, "Okay Knuckles. I think it's time you went to sleep," he headed for his hut, "You've had quite a day..."

…

Present time...

He collapsed onto the metal floor, once the light of his golden rings died out. They shrank in size, and returned to his wrists, even as he laid in defeat. He remained there, on the ground, unmoving in any way. The machine before him slid apart, revealing a head within it. This head, with red eyes, glared down at the albino echidna before him.

"Go ahead, grovel," Dimitri stated with a smile, "I enjoy it. But you have a job to do, Finitevus."

"Shut up, Dimitri..." the zealot snapped back, "I don't have time to deal with your annoyances..."

"Oh, what's wrong?" the once Imperator inquired, "Why are you so hurt, Finitevus?" his face suddenly grew angered, "Did you fail!? Like I knew you would!? I see no Chaos Emerald, Finitevus, I see only failure!"

"Shut up!" he barked.

"I told you to destroy the city! Kill anyone who said otherwise! Procure the Chaos Emerald! But no! You had to do it your own, _failed_ way!"

"Do you know why I failed!?" Finitevus roared as he placed his hands on the command console, "Because _he_ showed up! The _Starman_ came!"

"The... Starman...?" Dimitri whispered lowly at first, his face showing only shock, "The... Starman...? The Starman? The Starman! THE STARMAN!" the entire oceanic base started to shake, as Dimitri displayed nothing but rage, "STAAAAAAAAAARRRRRMMMMAAAAAAAAANNNN!"

The machine holding him started to erupt with bleeps, while the bases in home alarm system roared. Finitevus gazed up and around to the violently shaking base, his face contorting into terror and fear.

"Dimitri!" he yelled, "Stop it! Your powers are destroying the base! Dimitri!"

"STAAAAAAAARRRRMMMMAAAAAAANNNN!" he roared out instead, making the base shake even more.

Finitevus reached his hand forward, and slammed it down upon a specific button on the console. This caused a machine to rise near Dimitri's head, a machine that held what appeared to be a yellow Chaos Emerald. But instead of giving Chaos Energy, this stone stole the energy residing within Dimitri's body. The once Imperator screamed with pain, as the power he was exerting was stolen from him. Before he knew it, his rampant screams had grown silent, while the yellow Chaos Emerald shined brightly.

Finitevus let out a sight of relief, whilst walking backwards.

"What have I told you time and time before, Dimitri?" Finitevus murmured, "If you exert your power like that, you will kill us all!"

"Don't scold me like some child," the Imperator barked, "You fail to realize the power I hold."

"It's that same energy I gave you," Finitevus answered, "And the same energy that keeps you alive," he shook his head, "So unless you want to be at the bottom of the ocean, I recommend you keep that power of yours in check! I haven't designed a base strong enough to contain you yet."

"None can contain me!" Dimitri yelled, "Not even the Starman..."

"He stopped you before," Finitevus commented, "He can do it again..." shaking his head, he regained his composure, however, "But enough about that. I don't have the eight Chaos Emerald, but I shall not allow that to derail my plans," he grinned, "Its time we head for our _second_ point of interest."

He pressed his fingers on the command console before him. There was a buzzing, which echoed through the halls. The buzzing of a radio, that is.

"Hello?" a woman's voice on the other end answered, "Daddy? Is that you?"

"Julie-Su," Finitevus answered, "Please be a dear and come to the command center."

"Okay, Daddy!"

Finitevus lifted his finger, causing the radio to go silent. Looking over to his right, he gazed upon an elevator cylinder. The sound of it, moving down through the vertical hallway, echoed through the room. With a ding, the elevator stopped, and the doors slid open. She was a magenta furred echidna, with purple highlights in her hair. One of her dreads was covered in machinery for unknown purposes. Her boots were green, matching the black and green tank-top she wore no her body. Around her waist was a golden belt, and holstered in this belt, a double-barreled pistol.

"Julie," Finitevus murmured as she walked up with her arms crossed, "You look tired. What's the matter deary?"

"I was training all day, Daddy..." she answered with a yawn, "I probably pushed myself too hard."

"No, no," the zealot answered, "It's good that you keep your skills at their peak. You never know when you'll need them."

He gained an odd smile, one that made his _daughter _cock her head in confusion. He suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders, keeping her pinned to the earth.

"It's time for your first mission, Julie dear." he stated with a smile.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Dude, what's the point of these things? The people actually read them? I dunno._

_Anywhoozers, this chapter is all about. Something, I don't really know. I actually wanted to explain Shadow's absence, and I sort of did, but not during the entire time that Tikal's been on the planet. I just explained where his story began. And, what's worse, I didn't even get into the good stuff between Shadow and Tikal. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until the next chapter for that. It was going to be in this one, but I opted not to write it here. I gotta save some stuff, ya'know._

_Also, we learn some more things. You see, I wrote this story in the game universe, I explained that in Tribal Dance. Even though this is gameverse, I still bring over characters from the comicsverse. Which is why Finitevus is here and Dimitri, but now we have a new comic character. That, is Julie-Su. You can already see some differences already. The biggest difference is that Julie is calling Finitevus 'Daddy'. Now, in the comics, Julie's parents were Luger and Mara-Su, not Finitevus. Why is he calling Finitevus father then? You'll have to wait for later chapters. The answer will come though._

_Plus, I explained why Dimitri is still alive, even though he's a head. You see, he still has some of Enerjak's powers. And as we all know, having some of a god's power still makes you super powerful. He may be a head, but he's still extremely powerful. You could see that when he caused the ocean base to shake. _

_Oh yeah, Shadow is still lacking an Inhibitor ring. But don't worry, G.U.N. is making him a new one._

_Welp, another chapter down. I guess I'll go work on Shadows from Before now. From Sonic to Pokemon. What kind of insanity do I work on?_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	6. Who is the Starman?

Who is the Starman?

"Am I looking at this?" Sonic commented, his green eyes wide with confusion, shock, and hidden traces of fear.

He and Rouge stood side by side, their eyes unable to comprehend the sight laid out before them. Here was Shadow the hedgehog, a man they have known to show virtually no emotion in all he does, kissing a certain orange-furred echidna. And who was the girl he was kissing? Sonic knew her, it was Tikal, but Rouge was doubly confused. She interacted with Shadow on a regular, if not daily, basis. And never, not once, had he ever talked about any orange-furred echidna. Then again, he never talks about anything. Still, if anyone were to know Shadow was dating anyone, it would be Rouge.

"Ooooohhh... My head hurts..." Amy bemoaned as she regained finally consciousness, "Sonic, what happened? All I remember was..." she couldn't help but to smile and blush, "Well, all I can remember is you holding me..." she finally gained the strength to turn around and gaze upon the display in the middle of the street. What she saw got her blood flowing again, "WHAT!? TIKAL! STOP IT!"

The echidna heard her, but she didn't care. She just didn't care. Kissing him was just so amazing. It felt _too _amazing. It was like a dream, or a nightmare. A nightmare which was finally broken. The taste of him, as their tongues wrestled, was just as awing as it was all those years ago. Feeling his fingers hold tightly onto her shoulders; her own arms around his, it was like the light at the end of the tunnel. The warmth of his body pressing up against her own, she could feel the love resonating through him. It was a love she hadn't felt in so many years.

She broke the kiss first, as her lungs needed air. When she did however, her eyes opened to gaze upon the hedgehog she loved so much. His crimson orbs, which held so much violence and destruction, gazed down upon her with so much emotion. He was happy, surprised, confused, and _scared_? Was that fear she saw in his eyes.

And he felt a little _loose_. She couldn't explain it any better. The Starman was loose, and he was leaking something. She didn't know what he was leaking, but she could feel it. In stunned silence, she pulled her hands away from his shoulders, dragged her fingers down his chest, and then gripped his hand. She specifically remembered the Starman having two golden bands around his wrist, but he was lacking one. And because he was lacking one, he was leaking energy.

Her green eyes shifted down to this runoff of energy, and away from his eyes. Something about that leaking power made her _hungry_. She couldn't help but to lick her lips, and purse them as well. Her green eyes suddenly turned red. Because of this, she could see the energy that was running off from the Starman's body. She was right, he was leaking power, and ever so slowly as well. She slid her hands to his wrist, where his golden band should have been.

And she started to _absorb_ his power.

She could hear the Starman growl, but she was too enthralled in her own actions. Her chest started to rise and lower quickly, as her heartbeat picked up. With her red eyes, she watched as his power was taken into her own body. The feeling of it sent shivers up and through her spine. She was enticed by in, loving it. This new feeling, of taking this power. It clouded her judgment, and before she knew it, all she could focus on was the energy she was absorbing.

"TIKAL!" Amy's voice cried as her hands pulled her away.

She was pried away from the Starman, who nearly lost his own balance. Before anyone noticed it, those red orbs of hers returned to their unnatural green color. She fell back on the pavement, whilst gazing up to the pink hedgehog who was holding her.

"Do you know what you were doing?" Amy inquired, her face frantic.

"Huh... what...?" Tikal answered, earnestly confused.

"You can't just kiss Shadow!" the sakura hedgehog yelled, "He'll kill you if you even get close!"

The echidna peered up to her friend however, her face a fusion of confusion of minor regret. She cocked her head, stood up, and said,

"Shadow?" she shook her head, "Who's Shadow?"

Now Amy was confused. Slowly, she turned around and pointed to the hedgehog who was sitting in a knelt position. Once again, the sight of him caused Tikal to shake her head.

"Shadow?" she repeated, "I don't know who, Shadow, is. But... that's the Starman."

Just seeing him once again, caused Tikal's chest to rise. She pushed past her friend and to the Starman once again. She reached out for him, her face full of love and lust, but his hand grabbed a hold of her collar. With this vicious jerk, he pulled her forward, so her face was only a mere inch or two away from his. Tikal felt fear and terror take over her, as she peered into the violent red eyes of the man she kissed.

"What did you do to me...?" Shadow snarled.

Suddenly, he winced in pain, as if someone had punched him. His eyes ultimately rolled into the back of his skull, and the grip he had on her body released her. He fell back, unable to move, and started to hyperventilate. Rouge was the first person to his side; appearing to be generally frantic at the behavior her ally was showing. Tikal, on the other hand, placed her hand on her chest as she too started to breathe frantically. She had never seen the Starman act in such away, not on her at least. What did she do to cause him to act in such a way?

"Shadow!?" Rouge cried as she shook him, "Shadow!?"

…

"Heck, I don't know... That's what I'm representin'..." he murmured through his partial sleep, "Never seen a Mic Hog spit like a menace..."

His violet eyes opened finally, they slowly drifted skyward. The ocean blue skies were fantastic to gaze upon, reminding him just how high up in the atmosphere he was. He was so close to space, the moon appeared to still be light despite the time. Among the blue skies, there was a ruinous figure. Lifting his hand, the red echidna playfully crushed the floating construct by squishing his fingers.

"Boop, boop," he commented childishly to himself, "And Sky Sanctuary is destroyed... _again_..."

His moment of play over, the echidna shifted his body from his back to his stomach. His eyes closed while his arms crossed, and he started to drift blissfully into rest. But there was a slight change in the air, a rumble at best. His purple eyes quickly opened, and he swiftly leaped to his feet. Fists rose high, he glared left and right for his invading foe. One may call him paranoid, but he was no fool. He protected the great green rock behind him all his life, so he knew when someone was near.

"If you think I'm going to just sit around and do nothing!" he growled, "You've got another thing coming! Show yourself!"

He made sure to trace his eyes along the Master Emerald's hide. He was almost trapped by its lustrous aura, despite the many times he had seen it. Yet, if he would say so himself, he would say that the Master Emerald's aura was _off_.

"So there are _other_ echidnas..." the Master Emerald guardian's eyes widened, "The only other echidnas I've seen are Daddy and Finitevus... Aren't you a surprise."

The red-furred echidna turned slowly, now that his invader made himself known. He peered down the long staircase that lead to the Emerald Altar. And she was standing there. This magenta furred echidna, with purple highlights in her hair. One of her dreads was covered in machinery for unknown purposes. Her boots were green, matching the black and green tank-top she wore no her body. Around her waist was a golden belt, and holstered in this belt, a double-barreled pistol.

"So tell me," this female echidna said as she walked forward, "Who might you be?"

The red echidna found himself to be entranced by this woman. He wasn't sure why, however. It could have been her beauty, he would admit to that, it could have been because of her sudden appearance, that was considerable too, or it could have been the fact that she was an echidna. He was the last echidna, he was sure of that. Everyone else was dead. So was this some dream? Or a nightmare? When it came to his life, he was sure it was a nightmare.

"Who are you?" he inquired back, his voice still retaining that confusion.

"Me?" she answered, "I'm Julie-Su..." her eyes grew into a squint, "I answered your question, now answer mine. Who are you, red echidna?"

"I'm Knuckles..." he replied in that same trance-like voice, before shaking his head clear of that mindset, "Who are you!?"

"Jeeze you're dense..." Julie commented as she rubbed and shook her head, "I just told you my name... unless..." she gazed back up, and gained a smile, "Oh! You! You're the Master Emerald Guardian Daddy's been telling me about, aren't you? You're the idiot!"

"I'M THE IDIOT!?"

He suddenly leaped forward at full speed. Julie was taken aback by his sudden action, and didn't have time to dodge it. His hands slammed into her shoulders, and took her down to the ground. They tumbled on the grass beside the Master Emerald, eventually rolling to a stop, with Knuckles on top. He kept the echidna beneath him pinned to the ground, while she started to shuffle for her waist.

"Well," Julie mumbled, "Aren't we a violent one."

"I'll ask one more time!" Knuckles roared, "Who are you!? And why are you here!? Tell me before I get more violent!"

The clicking of a pistol echoed in Knuckles' ear, and he felt two barrels press up against his chest. Peering down, he found Julie's double-barreled pistol was planted firmly in his gut, and her finger was itching on the trigger.

"Answer this, echidna..." Julie-Su mumbled as she took a more domineering disposition, "Where... Is... _Chaos_?"

"Chaos?" Knuckles responded, "Chaos? Why does that matter?"

"Of course..." Julie answered as she rolled her eyes, "You're just as useless as I figured... The only other echidna I meet, and he turns out to be a fool..."

"Stop that!" Knuckles scolded.

He was suddenly silenced by the strike of the pistol against his head. He fell beside Julie, making her sigh in disappointment. Getting to her feet, the magenta echidna gazed off for the Master Emerald. According to her father's information, Chaos was released the last time when the Master Emerald was shattered. She smiled, figuring all she needed to do was break the giant rock again.

But, no. Her father made it perfectly clear that he _did not_ want the Master Emerald disturbed in any way. Which meant she had to find Chaos in some other way. But her quest was about to take a sudden detour.

A pair of arms wrapped around her waist. Julie gazed down in shock, as she was lifted up into the air. Before she knew it, her head had met the ground in an earth shattering press, one which sent ripples through the ground. Somehow, in spite of the powerful head first body slam, Julie was able to keep her consciousness. Gazing up, her eyes fell upon Knuckles, who was even angrier than before.

"I have a hard head." Knuckles commented; answering an invisible question Julie posed.

"Most idiots do..." she replied.

Quickly, Knuckles dropped a fist on the area Julie was laying upon. She quickly rolled out-of-the-way, dodging a punch which would have crushed her with ease. She could tell because his fist was able to uproot the earth and trigger a quake.

"Well... I see why they call you Knuckles..." she murmured as she got to her feet.

"I'll give you one last chance to leave..." he huddled closer, "Before I crush you..."

"Such a brutish man..." Julie commented, "Fine then! Be that way! It's only going to make things worse for you!"

Before he could rush her, she fired with her gun. He dodged the bullet with great ease, showing how fast he was in reality. She fired again, making her double-barreled pistol scream. With each gunshot she fired, he would dodged from side to side. Before she knew it, he was in her face, making her eyes grow wide. He punched quickly, aiming directly for her head. She ducked the punch, and immediately rushed him with her arms reached out. They wrapped around his waist, where she attempted to lift him. To her surprise, the echidna was much heavier than he appeared. She couldn't pry him from the earth he stood on.

Lifting his elbow, Knuckles slammed it down upon her spine. The strike stole all the air she was currently holding, and sent her into the earth. His hands reached down, and wrapped tightly around her neck. Lifting her up high, he started to shake her instead of violently strangle her. She felt her body get dazed by the shakes, before she ceased them by kicking him in the chest. The attack caused him to release her hold on him, and step back in pain. With her enemy on the rebound, Julie aimed forward her gun and fired.

His hand stopped the bullets. Julie's eyes widened, as Knuckles opened his palms. The bullets she rained upon him dropped from his fingers, and onto the ground.

"When you are shot at as many times as I am..." Knuckles bemoaned, "You get real good at stopping bullets..." his vision squinted at her, "Now I recommend you run, before I get even more violent."

"What!?" Julie answered sarcastically, "You weren't violent before?"

"No..." he answered, his fists cracking, his feet moving forward, "That was me being _lenient_," his eyes squinted in a malicious way, "_This_, is me being violent."

He rose his fist and slammed it down. The strike triggered an earthquake which sent a split moving toward Julie. She was so shocked by the sight, she remained in place. The ground broke under her feet, and swallowed her whole. Dropping into a subterranean pit, Julie gazed up to see Knuckles gazing back down. The echidna cracked a few bones in his neck, while his purple eyes peered into her soul. In spite, the magenta echidna fired her gun upon him, and as before, Knuckles dodged it with ease.

He leaped down into the pit after her, and started to walk for her dauntingly. With her adrenaline clouding her judgment, Julie fired upon him frantically with her gun. She already knew it was fruitless, she just prayed it would hit randomly. But it didn't, and before she knew it, Knuckles was before her. He slammed his foot upon her foot, causing a powerful pain to jut through her body. She screamed, but the air was stolen from her by his fist into her chest. Then, with one final punch against her face, she went out cold.

Knuckles cracked his fist, as Julie-Su's unconscious body laid at his told. Gazing up through the pit toward the sky, he let loose a sigh. He could have left her in here, or even better yet, done away with her. It was his island, and thus, his rules. Besides, if he did kill her, he could put it anywhere he pleased.

But, with a cold hard sigh, he picked her up in his arms. She was, after all, an echidna. And with such few numbers, he couldn't bring it upon himself to kill another.

…

"What did you do to Shadow?"

The bat's teal eyes peered deeply into her heart and soul. The echidna was so confused and scared, she just stared up with a face of regret. It didn't take her long to figure out that 'Shadow' was synonymous with 'Starman'. But she didn't understand why everyone was so angry with her.

Rouge, who she thought was a friend, was berating her for something she didn't quite understand. Amy stood beside Rouge, a few bandages and coils on her body, after the battle. Sonic was in a hospital room directly beside them, and in that same room, the Starman. They were resting on two beds for two completely different reasons. Sonic, thanks to the injuries he sustained from the battle, and Shadow, because of injuries he sustained from a certain orange-furred echidna.

"I didn't do anything to the Starman..." Tikal stated as she wilted, "I... I _love_ him too much to hurt him..."

"Why do you keep bringing up love!?" Rouge inquired as she threw up her arms, "I know Shadow, and I know when, and how little, he shows emotion. I think that, of all people, I'd know if he loves someone," she pointed at the echidna, "Especially, you..."

"And why do you keep calling Shadow, Starman?" Amy asked next, "The Starman is an ancient god, Tikal. You should know that."

But the echinda shook her head at her friend, as she took an honest disposition.

"No... _That's_ the Starman..." she pressed, "I'd recognize his face anywhere," and despite it all, she smiled this very loving smile, one that would fit right at home on a lovestruck teenager, "I mean. Taking into account all the things we did. All the personal moments we shared and of course..."

Her face grew a blush, as she remembered their moment after the dance. When gazing back up to Amy and Rouge however, she was surprised to see disgust written on their faces. As if they couldn't believe what they were hearing. They figured that the man Tikal was talking about, and the man they knew, were two completely different men. Just the thought of Shadow being anything that was sensual in any way, was a thought that was inconceivable. But Amy knew Tikal, and she knew the echidna wouldn't lie.

Would she?

There would be no way to tell until the man in question awoke from his slumber. Little did they know the man in question was waking up as they speak.

"Ugh... my head..." Shadow commented as he gazed up to the hospital room ceiling lights, "A hospital? Great... I hate hospitals..."

"Well, sleeping beauty finally woke up..." Sonic's voice snickered from afar.

From his bed, Shadow gazed over to see a certain hero garbed in medical coils. The blue dude with an attitude chuckled lightly, before shifting his green eyes up to the ceiling. He ultimately sighed, and shuffled deeper into his bed as he tried to come to terms with the events which led him here.

"So..." the blue blur commented, "You and Tikal..."

"Hold your tongue, Sonic..." Shadow stated, "I might find myself ripping it out..."

Not to his surprise, he heard the blue hedgehog chuckle.

"Yeah... I expected you to say something like that..." it didn't stop him from pressing the matter, however, "But how did you meet Tikal? She's been dead for, well, four thousand years, I'd say..." his face shifted back over to Shadow's, "How did you two... well... get so _familiar_ with one another."

"Just let me get my rest, Sonic..." his eyes closed, "And I'll allow you to catch yours..."

He heard Sonic groan with amusement, but ultimately, the hedgehog never said another word. Good. Shadow didn't want to hear anymore. All he wanted to do was think. It would be wrong of him to say he wasn't surprised, he truly was. Seeing Tikal again, it did something to him, something he didn't understand. The Master Emerald had crafted her once again, but her eyes were different. Gone were those ocean blue orbs he had fallen in love with, instead they were forest green. It was an aesthetic change, but a change nonetheless. Was that the Master Emerald's doing? Its own personal touch? Then what of that _thing_ she had done to him. When her hand touched him, and he felt weak in the knees. And no, not weak in the knees in the love sense. Weak in the knees in _pain_. She was taking something from him, and now that he was conscious, he knew what it was.

His Chaos Energy. She was siphoning his Chaos Energy. It was a feeling he didn't enjoy, but one he would never forget. It wasn't, after all, the first time it happened. After that moment with Finitevus, he would never forget.

Crossing his arms, he closed his eyes. He continued to ponder the thoughts he had in head. When his eyes opened, he peered straight through the window. His eyes met Tikal's green ones. She was quick to react; standing tall to meet the hedgehog's gaze. Her face brightened into a smile, and her hand reached forward. But before she could do anything, Rouge stepped in her way.

"And where are you going?" the bat inquired of the girl.

"Rouge stop being so harsh on her..." Amy whispered weakly.

"I just wanted to..."

"Wanted to what!?" Rouge barked.

"I need to tend to the Starman!" the echidna yelled back as she pushed past the bat.

She barged into the room holding Sonic and Shadow, passed the blue hedgehog, and ran to her Starman's side. But, her footsteps quickly skidded to a stop, when she noticed that strange odd substance flowing from his body. That green energy, which she found so tantalizing before, was once again floating around his body. She reached her hand forward to touch this substance, but ended up touching his chest instead. Blinking, she caused the odd energy to vanish from her sights. All that remained was Shadow.

"Starman..." she whispered, as her hand intertwined with his, "Starman... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." she started to slide her hands on his chest again, "Hurt you like this..."

But Shadow shook his head.

"Tikal... Where did you come from...?"

"I..." her eyes closed, "I don't know but..." a smile on her lips, "At least you're here..."

And her lips pressed up against his.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_And as I talk, I let you in on secrets going on within my story. Well, somewhat, I don't really know exactly what you guys deem secret and not secret._

_So yeah, I don't really have much to say here, that isn't pretty much said in the story. The biggest problem we have in this story, is what is going on with Tikal. Why did her eyes suddenly turn red, and why is she suddenly lusting for Shadow's Chaos Powers? And, what business does Finitevus have with Chaos? All these will get answers soon, so don't sweat it._

_As for trivia, I don't have much. All I can say is that Knuckles was sleep rapping. Those lyrics he was saying when his scene started, are the lyrics to Wild Canyon in Sonic Adventure 2. It's actually one of my favorite songs from the game, though I do adore all of Knuckles' raps. I hope he gets some more in newer Sonic games._

_Well, this was a lackluster Maverick Talks. I'm kinda disappointed and I wrote the thing. Oh well, we'll see you guys in the next chapter._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	7. Dying

Dying

Her light purple eyes snapped open. She looked up, toward the night sky, then down, toward the brown concrete floor. She tried to move her hands, but they were bound together. She tried to move her hands, but they too were bound to one another. A few moments of struggling later, and she was able to get onto her back. Though it was the dead of night, the land around her was extremely bright. And no, it wasn't because of the stars, but more because of the moon. And something else.

She continued struggling, before eventually settling on the side of her body. Upon doing so, her purple eyes fell upon the hide of a great green jewel. The shimmering rock before her was staggering, and almost blinding as well. She wiggled and shook until she was able to face away from the rock. When she did, she found her double-barreled pistol was sitting a few inches away. Seeking safety in the gun, she did her best to crawl toward the weapon, without the use of her arms or legs. The action was easier said than done. And in the end, it was rendered fruitless.

A green and yellow boot fell upon the gun, stopping her from grasping it with her teeth. She lined her eyes up from the shoe, to the red leg, and up to the purple eyes gazing back down. The echidna staring down upon her lacked any sort of emotion, other than contempt. Coiled around his right arm was rope, while fruit laid in his other hand. He dropped one, right beside her head, making her wilt back. Then he took the fruit still laying in his hand, and took a bite out of it.

She watched as that red echidna picked up her gun, only to walk over and past her. He sat down on the edge of the Emerald Altar, lifted his fruit once more, then took a bite out of it. The delicious taste of his meal sent shivers down his spine.

"I'll ask one more time..." the red echidna stated, as he finished his meal, "Who are you, and why are you on Angel Island," he looked back at her, seeing a face of rage gaze back, "You do realize our race is dead, don't you?"

"Do I look like I care!?" she answered as she struggled with her binds, "Let go of me you brute! Before I get angry!"

"I'm the brute?" he inquired, "You were the one who attacked me at my home. If I'm a brute, then what does that make you? Hm?"

"Fine then, I'll bite," the magenta echidna commented, "How about this; you let me go, I'll leave you alone, huh? It's Knuckles, right? That's your name? If you leave me be, Knuckles, I'll leave you alone."

"You and I both know that's a lie," Knuckles answered, "Isn't that right, Julie-Su? That is your name, right?"

She groaned at his words, specifically the way he copied her manner of speech. She wanted so desperately to claw his eyes out, and put a bullet in his brain for good measure. But the ropes that held her arms and legs together weren't going to have it. She was trapped.

"Listen," Knuckles stated, "I could have killed you at any moment, you do realize that, right? I could've thrown you off the side of this floating island, and your body would have been washed away by the seas underneath."

"Nuh, uh!" Julie replied, "Daddy wouldn't allow that!"

Knuckles gazed back at her, so he could stare directly into her eyes.

"And, who might _Daddy_, be?" he whispered.

"What!? Daddy!?" the magenta echidna replied, as she gazed off, "You must be hearing things; I said no such thing."

"Fine then," Knuckles said as he stood tall, "Play stupid," he turned around to her fully now, "And I was about to let you live too. Oh well, I can't forgive anyone who tries to take the Master Emerald."

"I wasn't after the Master Emerald!" Julie yelled as he got closer to her, "I was after Chaos!"

"And what business would you have for Chaos?" Knuckles inquired as he picked her up, and put her over his shoulder, "You do know who he is, right?"

"Where are you taking me!?" she was kicking now, "Let go of me you mindless man!"

"I'm about to throw you off of my island," he answered, "And I'll give you this bit of information; if you keep calling me names, I will not stop," he looked up at her out the corner of his eye, whilst giving a hard tap on her bottom. This, of course, did little to calm her down, "So one last time. Why were you here, and who sent you? I guess this 'Daddy' person has something to do with it."

"Why do you keep bringing up 'Daddy!?'" she said, feigning stupidity, "Do you have some sort of father issue?"

"Possibly," the echidna answered, "But I'm not the one who's about to be tossed off the side of a mountain, now am I? So, for my sanity and your life, tell me what I need to know? It doesn't take long to get to the edge, ya'know."

"You stupid little man!" she barked, "Let go of me this instant before I get angry!"

"Ooooooohhh, tough words," he mocked, "Last chance..."

"Last chance or-!?"

Her eyes widened, as the wind picked up around her head. In fact, the wind was strong all around her body. Knuckles suddenly pulled her from off his shoulder, so she could see the land before them. Or, for better words, lack thereof. She peered over the grassy edge to see nothing but darkness and clouds stare back. Gazing up, she saw even more darkness and clouds. It didn't take long for her to realize that Knuckles was going to make good on his promise. With one simple motion, he was going to drop her off the edge, where he would let gravity take control. And gravity has mercy upon no one.

"It was nice meeting you, Julie," Knuckles stated, "Sucks that you have to meet the ocean at hundreds of miles per hour. If the feeling of falling doesn't kill you, then the feeling of your body going splat against the ocean will."

"Uh... maybe we _can_ talk this out..." she whispered in fear.

"Too late."

He suddenly dropped her. She watched the dark expansive void below zoom closer, and in that brief moment, her entire life flashed before her life. Also, she yelled something.

"KNUCKLES! PLEASE STOP!"

She must have said something right, for before she fell to far, the echidna she called to gripped her ankles with his hands. He pulled her up, and brought her back to eye level. She looked downright pitiful now, as the thought of such a violent death took its toll on her mind.

"Last chance..." the red echidna pressed, "Tell me what I want to know, or else..."

There was no snappy remark or crude gesture, just a quick and frantic nod.

…

His hand pressed through the door, opening it up for her to see. Stepping into the room, she gazed hard and long at everything around her. Through the darkness of the room she could not see, her foot pressed against an object, making her gasp and leap back. His hand on her shoulder kept her silent however, and stopped her from growing too frantic. She peered up into his face, and gazed into his burning red orbs with her green ones. Tapping her briefly, he invisibly told her to stay, while he trudged on.

She stood in the darkness for an extended period of time, before the lights in this room came on. It was a home, but not a big or fantastic one. Books of various sizes were stacked up on the ground, and there were a lot of them. The orange echidna found herself shuffling uneasily from foot to foot, as a sense of claustrophobia settled in upon her mind. Rubbing her head, she tried to come up with a word to say, just to break the tension that was growing between them. Her voice never called, for she could think up nothing to state.

She ultimately picked up one of the books, and lined her eyes along its title.

"You... enjoy reading, Starman?" she inquired, her eyes glancing over at him.

"When you have as much time as me..." he stated in melancholy, "Reading is one of the few enjoyable things you can do..."

He suddenly walked for her, catching her off guard when his shade nearly engulfed her entirely. His hands gripped tenderly upon her shoulders keeping her pinned to the ground. She fiddled with the close contact, and started to blush as well, but his hands kept her from growing fearful.

"I'm happy you're here..." he whispered into her ear.

"I am... too..." she answered, "Starman, I-?"

Heavy metallic foot stomps echoed to the right of them. Tikal locked up immediately, and shuffled closer to her Starman, while he gazed over coyly. The marching moved closer, growing louder and louder as time moved on. Abruptly a claw clamped onto the doorway, followed by another claw on the other side of the doorway. A being pulled itself through, a metallic one, great in size and stature. He was red and black, while the Greek 'Omega' symbol laid on his shoulders.

Funny. Tikal had the same feeling toward this robot as she had toward Amy and Sonic. She recognized him, but t the same time knew not who he was. Yet his name laid on her tongue.

"Gamma?" she inquired of the machine, making his red optics peer down toward her.

"Gamma?" the machine repeated, his voice sounding like lightning and thunder at the same time, "You know of Gamma?"

"Aren't you Gamma?" the echidna asked next, now doubly confused.

"Negative," the robot stated, "I am E-123 Omega! The Ultimate E-Series robot!" he peered back down to her, his eyes flashing green as he scanned you, "And you are an echidna... Impossible, all echidnas are extinct save for one," he bent down to her in a near demented way, "And you are _not_ that echidna."

"Echidnas are extinct?" Tikal repeated, before glancing over to Shadow, "Starman, what is he talking about?"

The hedgehog shook his head however, whilst retaining his indifferent disposition. He once again grabbed Tikal's shoulder so he could take her up the stairs.

"Don't worry about it..." he stated, "Here, let me show you something."

He led her up the stairs of his home, and down a hollow hall. Tikal couldn't help but to compare the Starman's home, to Amy's home. While the pink hedgehog's residence was pink and filled with hero-worship, Shadow's home was cold and distant. It lacked the loving feel a house should have. There were no furniture pieces set in the hall, no photos hung on the walls, no plants to freshen up the air. Just books. Books, and books, and books. Had he actually _read_ all of these books? Or were they just here to take up space. She wasn't completely sure.

But his bedroom was much different in comparison. It was empty, with a wardrobe in the corner. A few windows were on the wall, with one being relatively close to the bed itself. Speaking of the bed, it was relatively small. Not the size she was expecting. She thought it would be bigger; able to hold both her and he. But in its current state, she was sure it was meant for one.

"Give me a second," the hedgehog murmured as he walked forward, "I wasn't really expecting you to show up so suddenly. I would have made my home more presentable..."

He suddenly took a runner's position, and dashed forward. She watched as the Starman faded into a black dash, as he zipped around the bed at amazing speeds. Slowly, piece by piece, she watched the small bed grow bigger in size. By the time Shadow stopped, time had elapsed a full of two minutes. Before the echidna, a king-sized bed. He appeared beside Tikal, as she grew wide-eyed at the sight. She knew he was face, but this was near amazing.

"I figured you'd be sleeping with me," he looked at her, "Unless I thought wrong."

She tackled him, directly onto the bed. Her lips silenced his, and any attempts as speaking were rendered fruitless. It had been so _very_ long since they had a bed to themselves, and she couldn't wait any longer. Then again, the echidna wasn't really sure how long she had been waiting. If Tikal could say so herself, she would say it had been _four thousand years_. Why such a random number, she would never know.

From outside the door, those same heavy footsteps echoed. Omega stopped at their doorway, his red optics once again turning green. As the sound of their kisses filled the air, his hand gripped their doorknob.

"If you plan on copulating," he stated as he closed the door, "At least have the decency to close the door behind yourselves..."

He turned around soon after and marched down the hall.

…

"So you're looking for Chaos, because your Daddy said so... hm?" the red echidna crossed his arms, "Or am I wrong?"

Julie gazed down to the ground in defeat, as she heard her mission come from his lips. She didn't expect this male echidna to over power her so. In fact, she didn't expect any male echidna to appear at all. She thought her people were dead, save for her father, and Dimitri. Obviously she was wrong. It only made her wonder; did Daddy know?

"Yes, that's why I'm here." she murmured with a nod.

"Can you tell me why he sent you?" the red echidna asked next as he took another bite of the fruit in his hand.

She shook her head in a no manner, before settling her eyes on the great Emerald beside her.

"He said..." she closed her eyes, "He said... a long time ago... our people inhabited an island, but something happened and one by one our numbers dwindled..." she gazed back to echidna, "He said we were the last echidnas, and soon we would die too but... He had a plan to bring our race to its former glory. He worked on it; _we_ worked on it for years, trying our hardest to come up with anything," she smiled, "A few days ago however, he said the time had come and he had found the answer. All that was needed was a being named Chaos..." she frowned, "But I never heard of a 'Chaos' before, and I knew not where to find it. So he sent me here, to Angel Island, where Chaos resided. I was supposed to bring him back but then I... ran into you..."

She felt regretful, as if she had failed her mission. When, in reality, she sort of did. Now all that was left was for Knuckles to send her packing. She would return home to her father, a _failure_.

"Your Daddy," Knuckles called, making her look at him, "He's a smart man?"

"He's the smartest!" Julie stated with glee-filled eyes, "You should see where we live, under the water. He designed all of it with his mind alone. He's a brilliant man, Knuckles, if anyone could bring our race back, it would be him."

"And you're sure he can bring it back. All he needs is Chaos?" he pressed further.

"Indeed," she answered, "All he needs is Chaos."

She watched the echidna lift his hand, and place it upon his chin. In a thinking pose he seemed to ponder about the information the magenta echidna gave him. Yes, he was extremely skeptical of the thought. Bringing back an entire race? It sounded too good to be true. Too _impossible_ to be true, even by his standards. Then again, here she was before him. Another echidna. A beautiful one, he would say. That was good enough reason for him to believe her.

"Then what are we waiting for?" he stood up tall, while a shocked Julie-Su gazed upon him.

He cracked his neck, threw a few air jabs, then peered down to her. Julie stood up a few moments later, her purple eyes peering into his.

"What are you talking about?" she inquired, "You're just going to... help me?"

"If your father can really bring back echidnas," he stared at her, "And judging from your appearance I believe that to be true, then he might be able to bring back my race. And I'd do anything to make that dream a reality."

"So!" her face quickly grew a smile, "You'll help!?"

"I know Angel Island like the back of my hand," he pointed at himself with his thumb, "If anyone can find Chaos here, it's gonna be me!" he eyed the ropes binding her hands together, "Here, let me help you with that."

He got closer to her, and started to fiddle with her ties. He quickly released the magenta echidna, much to her surprise. Gazing up, she saw another smile on that red echidna, one she didn't think he could possibly make. He so quickly went from assailant, to friendly.

"But if you try to kill me again," his face bent down into displeasure, "I will not hesitate to kill you..." he handed her the pistol she adored so much, "Understood?"

She nodded.

"Understood... Where to first?"

"Ice Cap Zone," the echidna answered as he gazed off, "That's where he was seen last, anyway."

…

Her warm body laying atop his was pleasant to the feel. He couldn't help but to smile, even through the darkness of his room. Before, his bed was always cold and lonely. But now, as he had another body beside him, he realized how inadequate his covers alone were. But no longer. He would never spend another night alone. Not so long as his _priestess_ was at his side.

Peering down upon her, he found a smile laying upon her slumbering lips. He couldn't help but to kiss them, which made her stir in her rest. Maybe it was for the best; she deserved her rest. If she were awake anyway, they wouldn't _just_ being laying beside one another.

The thought of it made him chuckle, as he gazed beyond his bed to see her clothes sprawled on the floor. A few seconds later, his ruby orbs too started to drift close. But a sudden knocking at his window caused him to grow wide-eyed. He looked all around his room, before settling upon the window close by.

Gazing at him, her teal eyes bent into displeasure, was a very voluptuous white-furred bat. Rouge tapped on his window, only stopping when she was sure she had his eyes. When their eyes met, she made a wagging gesture with her finger which said 'follow me'. Before Shadow could gesture back, the bat crawled up the side of his home. The Starman couldn't help but to growl, as he snaked his way out of his lover's arms. After putting on his shoes and gloves, he slid up the window, and climbed out onto the balcony outside. Peering up the side of her building, he saw Rouge gazing back. She once again made a wagging gesture, then hid onto the roof. Once again, the Starman growled, before following.

"What now, Rouge?" he inquired as he leaped onto his home's roof.

She glared at him, her teal eyes bent in massive dissonance. Shadow wasn't sure if she were annoyed with him, angry with him, or piteous of him, but he didn't care. He was angry that she invaded his home in the middle of the night, and ruined his chance at rest. But, it was obvious to him that Rouge simply cared not. She was here for a reason, and he knew it.

"So what?" she inquired, "Just couldn't wait, huh? Just couldn't wait to consummate your reunion?"

It was such a venomous tongue, as if she was extremely unhappy with his choice.

"Why does it matter?" he inquired as he crossed his arms.

"Shadow, are you dense?" she stepped forward, "She did something to you, Shadow. In the middle of the street, when you were locking lips," she glanced down to his naked wrist, "And you dropped to your knees in pain, did you not?"

"So what if I did?" he asked as he broke eye contact, "Does it really matter?"

"She's killing you, Shadow!" Rouge yelled, "Even I saw that! I don't know how or with what, but she did it," she gripped the bridge of her nose, groaned, then looked back with a weakened frame, "Shadow... Who is she? Why are you blinded by this... _love_? Are you in love with this girl? Who is she, and what are you neglecting to tell me?"

He shook his head.

"It doesn't concern you." he murmured.

"It concerns me when you are _dying_, Shadow," she shook her head, "You may not drop dead suddenly, but you will lose your strength. You know it, Shadow... I know it..."

He glared at her through the corner of his eye, but it did little to break her will.

"Shadow," she continued, "Tell me... who is Tikal...?"

"The Time Jet..." he whispered lowly, so low only Rouge's bat ears could pick them up, "Those three minutes when I was gone, I went back in time. I met Tikal. I spent a month four thousand years ago, and Tikal took care of me..." he started to walk back for the balcony, "That's all you need to know."

"Fine then... be that way..." Rouge stated as she realized how fruitless it was to continue this conversation, "But this isn't over yet, Shadow the hedgehog. Not until you see it my way!"

Her wings flapped, brushing up the wind around them. The next second, she took off like a rocket, heading toward Night Babylon. Shadow shook his head, as he gazed up to his friend's fleeting image. He didn't want to admit it, but she was right. He could feel it in his body. Opening and closing his hand, he felt the energy he held within seep away from his body. But it was just off occurrence because he lacked an Inhibitor Ring. Once he got a new one, everything would go back to normal. _Tikal_ would go back to normal.

"Well now, _Starman_..." a voice called from behind, making Shadow grow wide-eyed, "That's not how you treat your friends..."

He turned around, seeing a cloaked figure take the spot Rouge once stood in. Shadow's eyes squinted deep, as he found golden optics gaze back from under the hood. In his life, the hedgehog had only seen one being with eyes like that.

"Finitevus..." he murmured, making his rage known.

His hand started to cackle with lightning, which made the overzealous doctor step back, whilst removing his hood.

"Oh, no, no, no!" Finitevus stated, "I'm not here for a fight, Starman, just a friendly conversation."

"You're last words?" Shadow commented instead, "So be it, say them quickly so I can go back to bed."

"Oh please Starman, calm yourself," Finitevus said with a smile, "That attack you're charging is barely strong enough to kill a human. If it were to hit me, it would do nothing..." the doctor chuckled, "But, I assume, your weak nature is caused by your constantly leaking energy," he gazed back up, "And the _Emerald_ you are currently sleeping with."

"What are you talking about?" Shadow inquired, his hand still cupping his energy.

"I'm talking about the being you have come to call _Tikal_." Shadow quickly intensified his attack at the sound of her name, making Finitevus step back to give the hedgehog some space, "Now, now. Calm down, I'm just stating the facts."

"Finitevus..." the dark hedgehog snarled.

"She is not who you suspect, Starman," he replied with a smile, "You of all people should have realized it by now. Or are you so blinded by..." the echidna grew angry and spat, "_Love_, that you neglect to see the troubles ailing you..."

Shadow's eyes grew into a squint, and he ceased charging his energy attack. The sight of it made Finitevus smile.

"Let me make this quick," the Doctor stated as he moved closer, "Tikal is not Tikal; she is merely a vessel created by the Master Emerald. An _eighth_ Chaos Emerald. She merely _thinks_ she is Tikal. The real Tikal is no longer on this plane of existence, because you released her, Starman," he gazed down to the roof, "That being in your home this very instance, is nothing more than a rock given a body and mind. She is absorbing your Chaos Powers the longer you stay near her, Starman, and before long you will die," he looked back to the hedgehog, "You know this to be true, because she has been very forgetful of things, right? The Emerald is forgetful, because it didn't really know these things in the first place. She's not real, Starman. Just a rock..." the doctor smiled, "And I would love it if you gave her too me."

Shadow's eyes widened quickly. He jutted back, turned red, and fired a blast of energy. Finitevus wilted back, as a full powered Chaos Spear exploded in his face. The force of the blast threw the doctor away, but didn't do as much damage as the hedgehog would have enjoyed.

"Leave Finitevus!" Shadow yelled, "And never return! Or else I will destroy you!"

"Retain that heroic attitude," Finitevus answered, "It will ultimately be your down-fall..."

The albino echidna stretched his hands forward, causing the golden rings on his wrists to expand around him. Just as the first time, the warp rings whisked Finitevus away. Shadow stared to the sky for an extended period of time, his vision growing into a squint. The next time he saw that echidna, he was going to kill him. Turning back to the side of his house, he prepared to return to bed, and the slumbering echidna within.

He didn't know she wasn't sleeping anymore.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Cause that's what I do. Well, so... yeah... let's talk..._

_The plot is thickening, is it not? I really wanted to get some feels between Shadow and Tikal in this story. Honestly, I think this is the one chapter that doesn't focus exclusively on her. It's more of a Shadow, maybe Knuckles even, chapter. But yea, stuff. I won't put my two cents in on the chapter, but I do enjoy it. I'm just going to sprout my usual trivia and stuff._

_Anywhoozers, let me focus on Shadow's home. In a lot of my fanfics, I tend to change his place of residence. In some stories, he lives with Rouge, other's he lives at gun, one he lived in a nice apartment, and in another he lived in a castle populate by Black Arms. In this story, I reused a home he never had. Instead, this is yet another reference I've made to Maria Robotnik: Agent of GUN. You can't tell it, but his home here is supposed to be the GUN issued home Maria had in her story. A dead giveaway would be the wardrobe and the many books placed about. Maybe I'll give Shadow his own personal Jeeves._

_Another thing is the books. I don't know why, but I see Shadow as someone who enjoys reading a lot. So, being the social shut-out he is, he instead finds solace in his friend Omega, and books. That's why he has both Omega and books in his home. Yes, Omega lives with Shadow, where else would he live? _

_And here's one last thing, Chaos. One thing I never understood about Sonic Battle, was Chaos. He appears randomly in the last story, and does nothing other than giving Emerl someone new to fight. And he's insanely strong. He kills you with, like, three punches. His normal combo kills you! Anyway, Chaos just pops up, does nothing, and continues to do nothing. I figured he just roams Angel Island by himself looking for something. What is he looking for? No one knows. _

_Well, that's enough for today. Gosh, I really miss Maria Robotnik: Agent of GUN. It wasn't a big story for me, but I enjoyed writing it immensely. Maybe it's because its so different._

_Well, till next time._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	8. Distrust

Distrust

She tried her hardest to ignore what she heard, but it was just too had. Killing the Starman? Was that what Rouge said? No, no, she _loves_ the Starman. She couldn't kill the person she loved. What Rouge said, it was unbelievable.

_She's killing you, Shadow!_

The echidna couldn't believe that left the bat's lips. For a moment, despite everything, she thought she could trust the bat. But that seemed to not be the case. Rouge didn't like her, because she was _killing_ her friend.

His figure appeared at their window seal. He looked disturbed, angry even. He took glances up to the rooftops, as his fists shook. In spite of everything, in spite of his friend's words, he still took her side. He refused the believe that she may be killing him. Not her of all people. Honestly, the echidna was unsure if she adore the Starman for his protection, or condemn him for ignoring his friend's please. As much as she hated to admit it, the would never want to put her lover in such danger. Even if she _was_ the danger.

He finally opened the window, and she closed her eyes. She acted as if she were asleep, and thus had not heard the conversation below her. The Starman grew near her in their bed, and slowly shuffled in. She heard him mumble something, something angry, but it was too inaudible to her. He finally laid beside her, allowing her to feel his warmth once more. It brought a smile to her face, even though she tried to stop it. He noticed her smile, and realized she was awake.

"Tikal..." he whispered lowly, in that stirring voice of his, "Are you awake?"

Her eyes fluttered open, another act of hers. She tried to not look wide away, though she was. Her eyes looked up to his ruby ones. He had a rare face on tonight, one that was defensive or angry. His lips were curled in a small and soft smile, as his fingers dragged briefly through her orange hair. She whispered his name at first, but his lips silenced her. The kiss she gained washed out her mind, leaving her mind blank. She focused on the kiss, and the taste she gained from it. His tongue, along her tongue, she seemingly forgot everything she heard on the roof.

But she could smell something. And no, it wasn't his musk, that was everywhere seeing as this was his home. No, it was a peculiar smell one which made her lust for his body. Her eyes opened, seeing his closed eyes back as he kissed her. And there it was again. The green aura which she had come to know and _crave_. It was all on Shadow's body, flowing upwards slowly. He was leaking this power, but why?

Her eyes focused on his bare wrist. That's why, he was lacking something which held this power in place. Good, she _wanted_ it to be off. But, she could still feel as if he held more power. A quick glance over to the opposite side showed him with a golden ring around his wrist. She found her hand moving for it in an attempt to grab it. But his hand slid passed her, moving away from her hand and to her back. He moved his hand down her back, and to her rear, where he pulled her forward. The touch made her eyes return to their green color, as she dipped back into the situation.

"Starman..." she moaned.

…

"I don't like it..." a vindictive pink hedgehog commented.

She was staring out of the window, and toward the calm beach waves of Emerald Beach. Pulling back, she crossed her arms in an annoyed manner. Her usual pink dress was replaced today, instead by a white uniform befitting a nurse. She even had the hat to prove it.

"Why are you in my home?" a cast ridden blue hedgehog inquired from behind, "Amy?"

She spun around, her hard face now replaced by a smile. She moved towards her hero, who sat immobile in his chair. The closer she got, the more defensive he became, as he attempted to escape her on his covered feet.

"Oh Sonic," she called lovingly, "I had to help you, didn't I? I couldn't just leave you in pain and all, now could I?"

"Stop saying that," he ordered, "And please, go away!"

"Hey!" she barked, "Don't make me wash you again, Sonic!"

He grew wide-eyed and swallowed his spit.

"You uh... _washed_ me?"

"Oh did I say that out loud?" she inquired in a playful manner.

"AMY!" he barked.

"Oh calm down for a moment, Sonic," she sat down beside him, "I can't focus on you when I need to focus on something else."

"Then focus on that something else," he said, "Just not around me, please?"

She crossed her arms and took a hardened stance against his words. Though the thought of hitting him did come to mind, she ultimately waved it off. Standing up again, the pink hedgehog strayed near the window once again. Sonic, sensing her demeanor shift, lowered himself closer to his chair.

"Amy?" he whispered.

"Why did she leave with him, Sonic?" she faced the blue hedgehog, "Why did Tikal leave with Shadow?"

The hedgehog grew lax in his seat, and gazed toward the ceiling with his verdant eyes.

"Beats me," he answered, "It's obvious that Shadow and Tikal have some... _thing_ going on..." he smiled, "I'm actually kind of happy, Shadow needs someone in his life..." he quickly grew hard, "God knows _that's_ the truth."

"Then why didn't he take Rouge!" Amy yelled, growing near her hear which caught him off guard, "Of all the people in the world, he takes Tikal. She's like, the purest person on the planet. How did Tikal even get involved with Shadow? She's been dead!"

"That may be true," he stated as the pink hedgehog scared him, "_But_... this is Shadow, we're talking about. Maybe he met Tikal on one of this... well, I don't know what he calls it. Sounds reasonable though, Shadow can travel through time after all... at least I think..."

"That's beside the point!" Amy yelled again, "Shadow is... Tikal's just wrong for him! You know what Shadow can do, and you know how Tikal is like! It's like an angel dating a living weapon!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa now!" Sonic interrupted, "Where's all this hatred for Shadow coming from? I mean, I didn't think you liked him, but I didn't think you hated him either."

"I don't hate him," Amy said as she made her side known, "It's just that... well, he's Shadow. I know Shadow, you know Shadow, we all do. We know how... _crazy_ he can get some times. I just don't want him getting crazy around Tikal."

Sonic couldn't help but to condemn his friend for her words. He showed this by shaking his head too.

"Amy I can't believe you," he stated, "You know what Shadow went through, and you know why he tends to get 'crazy' as you so eloquently stated. Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, the reason why he acts so 'crazy' is because he doesn't have someone to himself?"

"I did think that," she replied, "I just didn't want it to be Tikal," she grew frustrated again, "I swear! He's best friends with Rouge! Why didn't he just take her away to his castle!"

Sonic once again took a stance of disdain.

"I didn't think you'd act so opposed to this situation," he murmured, "Listen, if Shadow loves Tikal, and Tikal loves Shadow, then I see nothing wrong with this..." he tried to cross his arms, "The person we should _really_ be worrying about is Knux anyway. He's the one whose entire people has been wiped out. I don't even think he knows Tikal is back."

The metaphysical light-bulb appeared above Amy's head. She turned and faced Sonic, who cocked his head in confusion. When she started to head for the door, he slowly realized what the little minx had in mind. He tried to get up from his seat and stop her, but the casts and coils around his legs kept him pinned to the earth.

"Amy wait!" he called.

"Sorry Sonic," she replied, "I have to go and talk to someone!"

"Amy please stop! Just stay right here!" he stated.

"Or what, huh?" she asked, "Do you _really_ want me to stay Sonic? Because I have to go visit Knuckles ya'know? We are friends after all," her vision squinted at him, "Or do you want me to stay so bad, you don't want me to visit Knuckles. Is that what you're saying?"

Sonic knew exactly what the pink hedgehog was doing, and he didn't like it one bit. He knew asking her to stay would result in one thing. She was going to _molest_ him. So, it was either his sanity, or Shadow's sanity. Though he never counted the dark hedgehog as one of his friends, he still retained a level of respect with the black blur. So, for now, he would risk his _own _sanity.

Sonic gripped his crutches as he turned toward the exit hall with fear.

"Tails!" he called as he struggled to escape, "Tails!"

"Oh no you don't, Sonic!" Amy barked as she tackled his weak body to the ground.

…

His knuckles dragged down the icy crevice. His powerful body shook the pit as he leaped from one side of the wall to the other. With each leap, he slowed his descend as well as created scratches in the sides. By the time he finally landed, his drop sent snow and ice shards into the skies. He looked up to the sky, seeing the sun peer through the hole in the ceiling.

"Hey, Julie-Su!" the red echidna called, "Are you coming or not?"

She gazed over the hole in the ground, her face filled with confusion and fear. The magenta echidna was confused on how he so easily fell. Well, not easily, more like _violently_. He was like a red ping-pong, bouncing off the sides of the walls in a state so maddening. And now, he gazed up upon her, expecting her to do the same? Was he insane? A drop like that would kill her.

"Knuckles, I'll die." the magenta echidna yelled down to him.

"No you won't," he answered, "Don't you know how to do this?"

"No!" she yelled, as the icy wind behind her started to blow.

"Listen Julie! If you keep up there any longer, the wind chill will kill you!"

"I'm pretty sure it's still cold down there!" she retorted, "You do realize it's snowing _everywhere_ right!?"

"Wait... don't you have knuckles like me?" he inquired as he rose his coveted fists.

"No one has knuckles like you!" she replied.

"Well... can you glide on your dreads?"

"No!"

"Fine! Just jump down and I'll catch you!" he stretched out his hands, "Come on now."

"What!? What part of 'I'll die' don't you get?"

"Listen Julie! I won't let you die," the echidna assured, "Promise."

"Knuckles, we'll just have to find another way because I'm not-"

The ground under her toes suddenly shook. Ice and snow fell on Knuckles position, as Julie realized she was moving closer down. The ground shook again, making her ledge crack and crumble. Realizing she was about to fall, the magenta echidna turned around to leap for solid land. But it was too late. The ground cracked and shattered, dropping her down the massive pit she stood above. She didn't scream, though she closed her eyes and braced for impact.

"Gotcha!" Knuckles' voice rang.

Her purple eyes opened, seeing that red echidna gaze back. They were in the midair, as it seemed Knuckles leaped up to catch her. Before long they landed safely down within the icy hole. Julie-Su couldn't help but to gaze at Knuckles, as he retained a nonchalant stare. He stared up soon after, seeing the pit they entered through was now covered by snow.

"Looks like we aren't going through there," he stared back to Julie's stunned face and smiled, "Let's keep going. I'm sure Chaos is near..."

"Uh-huh..." she answered.

He placed her down on the ground soon after, then shifted his violet gaze down another icy hall.

"I recommend you be on your guard," he warned as he walked off, "My Island has a lot of booby traps..."

Julie nodded at his words, but remained standing still as he walked away. Looking back up to where she fell from, she wondered how such a drop could have affected her. Had Knuckles not been here, she would have surely been dead. But how did he catch her with such ease? It was as if he were _flying_.

"Julie?"

"I'm coming..."

…

"Julie-Su hasn't returned yet, Finitevus..."

The zealot doctor turned around and faced the disembodied head that spoke to him. The one who was once Enerjak retained an emotionless face as he peered into his ally's eyes. A few moments later, the head squinted his optics, and gave a face of general disapproval. The albino echidna that glared at him ruffled his cloak and sat down before the head.

"Calm down Dimitri," he murmured, "Everything is going according to plan..." he started to press various buttons on the console before him, "Julie-Su will locate Chaos 0, and I will prepare his incubation chamber..." he stopped typing, "Like I said: according to plan..."

"And, dare I ask, where _is_ this incubation chamber, Finitevus?" the head inquired, "You don't have one."

"That's where you're wrong," Finitevus faced the head, "I _do_ have one. Well, not _yet_ should I say..." his eyes grew into a squint, "Look after the base, Dimitri..." he turned around and headed for the exit, "I'll be back..."

"And where are you going?" the once Imperator asked next.

"I have a _doctor's_ appointment to make." the albino echidna replied.

…

She walked daintily through the halls of _her _home. She neglected to put on clothes, instead she dragged the covers from her bed along with her. She used them to cover herself as she trekked silently through the halls.

"Starman?" she called, "Starman? Where are you?"

Her answer came in the form of heavy metallic footsteps. As she moved down the staircase, she found her eyes falling upon the kitchen room doorway. The machine that lived in this home with her and her lover appeared, his head spinning around in a circular fashion. He was at first ignorant of her existence, before his red optics gazed up to her.

"Gam..." she stopped, "_Omega_, where is the Starman?"

The machine spun his body around to face her completely, as his orange eyes flashed an orange color.

"Subject 'Starman' is god known in echidna lore, as well as an item in the Mushroom Kingdom. I have no knowledge on the whereabouts of either..."

He started marching off again, while Tikal slapped herself on the forehead. She needed to remember, they call him Shadow here, not Starman.

"I mean... where is _Shadow_, Omega?" she asked next.

The violent machine stopped completely, then turned around to meet her face.

"Ally Shadow the hedgehog left at around 700 hours this morning," he started marching off again, "He shall return soon..."

"But where did he go?" she asked.

"Access denied," Omega stated, "Shadow does not wish for you to know."

The orange echidna cocked her head in confusion. Where was the Starman that he did not want her to know? She figured she would just have to sit and wait for his return. It wasn't a bad idea, it would give her the time to learn the layout of her new home. Besides, Omega was here. She wasn't completely alone.

"I have prepared for you your clothing..." Omega stated as he walked with shirts and pants in his hands, "After you have properly washed and dressed, I will prepare breakfast."

The sound of breakfast made her smile.

A few moments later of trying (and failing) to use the wonders of modern piping, Tikal walked down the staircase. She retained the clothing Amy had given her, though they were now fresh and clean thanks to Omega. Stepping near the kitchen of her home, she peered inside to see Omega. The overbearing robot was just standing there, his red optics on a strange device before him. Stepping in just a bit, his head quickly snapped to him which made the echidna step back in fear. Now that he was no longer alone, Omega began to fiddle with the strange machine before him. Tikal stepped dauntingly behind him, her hands lying around the backside of her waist. Omega was much to tall to look over his shoulder, but she could still gaze upon the machine he was touching. There were various flames sprouting from the machine, flames which would be sealed by pots and pans.

He was cooking. Tikal never thought she'd see such a violent looking being cook.

"What is this?" she inquired as she reached her hand for the machine.

Omega quickly grabbed her hand however, stopping her cold. His head spun around to her next, making her feel an increased form of fear.

"Warning!" he stated, "The oven is hot! It is unwise for you to touch while I am working!"

His hand released her next, and his vision returned to the stove's top. With a heightened sense of apprehension, Tikal watched the robot cook from behind.

"Why are you cooking for me?" she asked after a while of silence.

"Shadow told me too..." he answered with ease.

"Oh..." her eyes moved up to his head, "How do you know, uh, _Shadow_. Is he a friend of yours?"

"Affirmative..." the robot answered, once again with ease.

"Oh..." she swallowed her spit, "Do you know Gamma? You look a lot like him."

Omega stopped. Tikal felt as if she had struck a chord in the robot's head, and thus began to regret her words. Omega spun to meet her vision with his optics, and stood there.

"Gamma is my older brother," he answered, "He is out of commission."

"Oh..." Tikal replied, "He was a nice... _whatever_ you are..."

Omega stood tall, as he held a plate in his hand. Tikal was so locked in the conversation, she neglected to realize how quickly the robot prepared her food. Walking past the echidna, he placed her meal on the table in the center of the kitchen. Then he pulled out a seat and sat in it. Tikal was so confused on what she should do, she just stood there in silence. Omega's sudden head whirl spurned her to move however.

She sat down on the seat opposed to Omega, and grabbed her fork. Whilst lifted a morsel of food to her lips, she couldn't help but to feel Omega's eyes bore into her. Gazing up, she saw him gaze down upon her without a care in the world. Thanks to his face, which lacked any kind of emotion, she felt her body lock up. After a while, she gained the energy to take a bite of her food. It was a delicious taste, one that was near perfection. The echidna wished she could enjoy it more, but Omega's daunting stare kept her from doing so.

Sudden knocks at the door caused the two gaze off for the home's entrance. Tikal was giddy with excitement, hoping the being outside was her Starman. But the voice said otherwise.

"Tikal! Tikal!" the bubbly person called, "I know you're in here! I followed Shadow ya'know!"

The echidna's ears folded, as she grew disheartened. Omega on the other hand stood up from the table and faced the door.

"Subject Amy Rose is at our door," his claw receded into his body, being replaced by a Gatling gun, "Preparing to eradicate!"

Tikal may not have known what a Gatling gun was, but she did know what the word 'eradicate' meant. She quickly ran in Omega's way and pressed her hands upon his cold chest, keeping him from moving any further.

"Just stay here, Omega," she pleaded, "I'll deal with Amy."

He gazed down upon her.

"You have five minutes until eradication." he stated coldly.

She nodded and smiled, happy he was seeing things her way. At least, she _thinks_ he was seeing things her way. Turning to the door, she opened it slowly. Amy was on the other end, wearing a jacket to deal with the sudden cool weather. When the bubbly hedgehog saw her friend, she brightened up with a smile.

"Tikal! Finally!" Amy said, "What took you?"

"I was... enjoying breakfast," a quick glance over at Omega reminded her of the countdown, "Amy why are you here?"

"Why am I here!?" Amy said, as if she were being insulted, "I just wanted to see you... and make sure a certain hedgehog wasn't getting _frisky_."

To late...

"Oh, is that so?" Tikal mused.

"3 minutes, 15 seconds!" Omega warned.

"Okay! Okay! Amy! You have to go, or else Omega's going to kill you." the echidna stated.

"Omega?" Amy said confused, "Who's Omega? Wait, isn't that Shadow's friend?" she suddenly grew angry, "What? That hedgehog lives with his own friend!? How old is he? This is not a desirable living arrangement!"

"1 minute 50 seconds!"

"Amy!"

"Listen Tikal, if you're going to stay here, in the modern time with us, we have to get you more clothes than that, so I came over for a nice shopping spree."

"A what?" the echidna asked confused.

"Eradication countdown! T-minus 10! 9! 8! 7! 6!"

"Omega please! Slow down!" Tikal begged.

"5! 4! 3! 2! 1! Eradication commencing!" his gun's returned, "Preparing to destroy Subject Amy Rose!"

Before Omega could actually destroy the hedgehog, Tikal placed her hands on his chest once more. Her face becoming hard, she glared long and hard into his eyes.

"Omega! Stop!"

Her command was received. His guns receded into his body as it appeared he was no longer going to destroy Amy. Seeing it brought relief to Tikal, for she was sure had she not done anything, her friend would be currently dead.

"Now, Omega," she began, "Amy is going to take me out for a... shopping spree... whatever that is, it sounds like a diseased animal..." she shook her head, "She says I will be able to get more clothing from this 'shopping spree', so I am going with her."

"Negative! Shadow has commanded me to keep you here!"

"I understand that," she stated, "But the Starman, uh, Shadow, isn't here. I would also like to be with Amy because Amy is my friend so..." she twiddled her fingers, "Could you please just oversee things this one time...?"

Omega's nature became even more overbearing, as he glared down upon her body. She wilted from the sight, wondering what he would do next.

"Then you can go..."

His sudden words made her hop up and down with glee. For a moment, she was sure he was going to say 'no', and that would have been the end of things. But he instead allowed her to leave. There had to be a catch.

"And I am coming with you..." he added.

"Huh?" she inquired.

"E-123 Omega shall protect you during Operation: Shopping Spree!"

"Omega, you don't have to protect me!" she pressed.

"Negative! I must," he glared into her again, "Shadow has made it known that a person of interest known as 'Dr. Finitevus' is after you. I am to protect you from this volatile individual."

Tikal, seeing nothing wrong with Omega joining her on this 'Shopping Spree', didn't mind the thing. Shrugging it off, she turned to see if Amy minded herself. The pink hedgehog was two enthralled with her phone to even notice or care that she was about to be destroyed.

"Uh, Amy?"

"Huh?" the hedgehog replied.

"Do you mind if Omega comes with us?"

The pink hedgehog gazed beyond the green-eyed echidna to see a tall robot glaring back. The first words that ran through her mind was not 'fear' however, it was 'muscle man'. And muscle men could easily hold items.

"Now why would I send Omega away?" she inquired, "I mean look at him? He can carry _sooooooooo _much!" she stretched forward her hand, "Come on Omega! You can hang with us today!"

Deep down inside, he was wondering if he should activate his self-destruct sequence.

…

Finitevus climbed over the rocky mountainside he had been scaling. One one end beneath him, there were crashing waves and water. Above, dark storm clouds which constantly cracked with lighting bolts and thunder. The overzealous doctor crossed his arms as he gazed over the great city sprawled before him. Well, not really a city. It was more a base, filled with machinery and robots. The albino echidna withdrew a pair of high-tech binoculars, so he could get a better view of the area. On the streets, fat and round orange robots ran left and right, some carrying weapons, others working in tandem to hold heavy objects. All of these robots resembled a certain _dictator_ it seemed.

The albino echidna put away his binoculars and gazed over the city with his unnatural golden eyes. All he had to do was sneak through and locate his information. Smiling, he wondered just how easy this was going to be. The doctor who owned this land was a decidedly _stupid_ individual. Honestly, he was a man unfitting of the title 'Doctor'. It didn't matter though; he held machinery the echidna so desperately needed. To bad Finitevus was not the man for asking.

He tapped a button on his chest, causing dark echidna armor to fold over his body like an exoskeleton. The next instant, his entire body turned invisible. Now impossible to see, the overzealous doctor leaped over the mountainside to the city streets below. No machine noticed his appearance, in spite of their varying degrees of sight. He deftly dashed forward, passing under a sign which held the daunting message of 'Welcome to Genocide City'.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_You know, you have like three story lines going on. You have this whole Shadow and Tikal thing going on, Knuckles is traveling with Julie-Su to locate Chaos, and Finitevus is invading a place called Genocide City for some reason. And I can just sense you guys want more. __I didn't really have a set focus on this chapter, really. I wanted to show where Knuckles was at, which I did, I also wanted to set things up for the next chapter, which I also did. We're nearing the tenth chapter, so I guess I'm setting things up, huh?_

_I enjoyed writing the little scene between Tikal and Omega. I rarely ever read about Omega in these stories, and most people just ignore him. I hate that! He's like Shadow's best friend! He even said that in Sonic Dark Brotherhood! But most people pretend Omega doesn't exist. Why is that? Anyway, Omega is here, living with Shadow and Tikal. He's going to be Tikal's caretaker it seems. Plus, he cooks. He may be a mass murdering robot, but even he knows how to cook. He is a robot, after all._

_And Amy is being distrustful of Shadow. I'm not trying to make Amy some vindictive witch, she's just being over protective. She does have good reason to distrust Shadow. Let's face it, he hasn't been the most all together member of the Sonic Team. That being said, calling him 'crazy' may have been a step too far._

_By the by, this isn't the first time I've used Genocide City in one of my stories._

_Well, enough of that. Next chapter, Omega attempts to survive Operation: Shopping Spree, Knuckles and Julie-Su gain more ground on their Chaos search, Finitevus meets up with a certain dictator, and Dimitri flips the script. Be sure to tune in next time on Howls from the Past!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	9. Metallic Madness

Metallic Madness

The searchlights of the city meant nothing to him. They appeared on the clouds above and more importantly, on the streets below. The robots walked through them without a sign of fear, for they belonged to this city. He, on the other hand, had to be weary of them. Even if invisible, his body would surely cast a shade against the shimmering light. He needed to retain his low profile just a little while longer. At least until he finds the object he is looking for.

Dr. Finitevus pressed his back up against the massive castle walls. Glaring up, he felt trickles of water fall upon his cybernetic face. As with everywhere else, the castle held various machinery pieces and weapons meant for defense. Retaining his cold calculating measures, Finitevus pressed his foot against a metal grating. He removed it quickly and slipped through the hole in the building side. Pressing his hands up the steel side, he scurried through the ventilation staff like the rodent he was. It didn't take him long to make his way to the castle's halls. Just as it was outside, robots lined the walls left and right.

But the base itself was extremely _metal_. In comparison to his own underwater base, the castle was hotter yet smaller. Through the halls however, Finitevus could hear the monstrous sounds of steel clashing against steel. Despite its king-like exterior, the halls of this castle was so very demented. And everywhere, the insidious design of the doctor laid. Big nose, bushy mustache, big round glasses, they were everywhere. Hell, they were even on the faces of his robot. This was a man who had a high level of narcissism. It was enough to make Finitevus question his own mental stability. Never the less...

Placing his boot on the vent covering, the albino echidna pushed his way free. With minimal sound and invisible covering, he was able to stealthy dash past robots and cameras alike. Smiling, Finitevus couldn't believe the amount of simplicity his mission entailed. So far, no robot noticed his appearance in any way shape or form. Then again, this certain dictator had a pension for defective robotics. Fooling the machines before him was easier done than said.

He continued to hold his secretive nature however. Dashing through the halls, he read the mini map his ingenious mind presented him. It didn't take him long to discover the object of his sadistic affections. It was covered by a massive door which despite its prowess, was easily hacked open. It was a large, dome-shaped room, with reflective glass placed on the walls. The out ring was actually a window, which would allow someone to gaze upon the inside. As the door closed behind, Finitevus chuckled lowly. Pulling his hand from his cloak, the doctor revealed a device.

"All the information he have, Ivo," Finitevus commented as he rose his device, "Is now mine. You should be honored that I need something of yours," he glanced over the room, "After all, it would be such a shame for a great invention as this to go to waste."

"As agreed..."

…

The shifting sands under her feet jerked her up and down. Her arms wrapped hard around the column beside her, as she tried to stop herself from sinking. The arid desert sands, the powerful overbearing sun, the general lack of shade, it was a remedy for disaster. Heated disaster. The temperature sat somewhere near the 120s, at the very least. How could anyone survive this? How was _she_ supposed to survive this?

"Julie!" the red echidna's muffled yell came from nowhere.

His head suddenly ripped through the sands. He pulled the rest of his body free a moment later. His body shimmered in the violent heat rays, though he was unfazed by it all. The magenta echidna watched in awe as he faced her from over his shoulder. A smile appeared on his muzzle next, while he gave a safe thumbs up.

"The ground's safe here," he stated, "So just follow my steps!"

"Follow your steps," Julie-Su yelled back in surprise, "Are you crazy, Knuckles!? You sank in as soon as you stepped in!"

"I know but..." he couldn't help but to chuckle, "I just lost my footing is all! I promise you, the ground is safe here."

"Is it really?" she inquired, "Or are you just pulling my chain?"

"Now why would I do that?" he asked of her, "But if you're too _scared _to leap, how about this," his arms stretched out, "Jump and I'll catch you, promise!"

"Scared?" she murmured, "Did you just call me scared?" she slammed her foot down, triggering a tremor, "I am not scared!"

"Hey," the echidna stated with shrugged shoulders, "I call'em like I see'em. It's alright if you're scared though, Sandoplis Zone can do that to anyone."

"I am not scared! And I'll show you!"

She quickly leaped forward. Her first hop was a safe one, for she landed on solid ground. The next movement was a weary one, however. Unsure of the steps she should take to make it to the other side, the magenta echidna combed the shifting sands with her eyes. There were hard panels beneath the sands she was supposed to walk one, but where were they? The sands were much to opaque to see through. And one mistake would result in her being lost.

"You're almost there," Knuckles stated, "Just another step and you'll be find."

His encouraging words seemed to have the opposite affect on the female echidna. Instead of being happy with the fact that she hadn't fallen yet, she instead showed anger.

"Just shut up!" she yelled as she took a step forward.

It was the wrong step. Her foot hit nothing by the river of sand below. It swallowed her quickly and brought her down beneath its burning waves. The echidna attempted to grip the hard concrete panel she stood on, but her grip slip and the sands took her away. Knuckles' calls were muffled thanks to the pounds of sands above her, but Julie could have sworn she heard him say something along the lines of 'Dig!' Whatever that meant, she wasn't doing. She just waited for the carnage to end, and for the air to return.

Her hand was gripped by his. He clenched tightly and with a mighty yank, pulled her close to his body. His arm wrapped around her waist next, while his other arm punched through the sands. Before Julie knew it, she and Knuckles were freed from the river of flowing sand. They landed safely on the solid grounds of Sandoplis, where Julie breathed for air. Turning over, her reflective purple orbs ran along Knuckles' own purple eyes. And he was smiling.

"What kind of echidna doesn't know how to dig?" he asked of her.

"What are you talking about?" she asked next through gasps of breath.

"Digging," he lifted his fists, "You know, with the knuckles, like our people used to do?"

She may not have lived on the island where their people stayed, but that's not to say she was ignorant of her heritage. Her father Finitevus made sure to teach her all about their past. Never once did he mention their people dug with their fists. How does one even go about doing such an action?

"Jeeze," Knuckles continued as he stood tall, "If you keep this up, we'll never find Chaos."

"Where is Chaos?" Julie asked as she walked behind him, "You said he was in Ice Cap Zone, yet I find myself in this hot and torrid," she grew frustrated, "Are you leading me on a goose chase, so help me if you are, I will shoot you!"

Knuckles stopped and faced her, his visage one that was hard and stern.

"Listen, I'm trying my hardest to locate Chaos, okay? He's a random being and enjoys walking around the island. He used to live here thousands of years ago, after all," he turned back to the desert before him, "Finding him won't be easy, but not impossible. Just bare with me, okay? We'll find him sooner or later," then he smiled, a sweet, kind-hearted, soft smile, "I promise."

He turned back to face the desert land before him. After a brief moment of silence in which he sighed, the echidna ran forward with speed. Julie remained behind however. In her head, she gazed upon the image of the echidna's smile. Was it wrong to say she _never_ saw a smile like that before? That's what she was feeling.

But what business did she have thinking like this? She shook her mind clean of these thoughts then pushed onward.

…

For miles around, his mind only saw water. Deep, expansive, ocean blue water. It was beautiful, the many bungalows below. The tens of thousands of marine life which existed in the oceans were truly a sight to behold. They held colors more magnificent than the rainbows in the sky. This was truly the perfect sight of life.

And he _hated_ it. Seeing them all, swim left, swim right, it angered him. He wanted nothing more than to see it all _burn_. Burn to the ground, with he on top. He wanted to rule them, command them, _control_ them. But that was too little for him, he wanted more. He wanted to command the whims of life itself, to decide who lives and who dies, to _judge _the world as he saw fit. It was something he couldn't do inside.

Once Imperator Dimitri finally opened his eyes. Thanks to the powers he gained as Enerjak, he could see almost anything. For hours upon hours, he would watch the fish he detested so. Had it not been for the jar he was trapped in, he would destroy them all. But of course, he required a body. And he was gaining no body if he continued sitting here.

Everything was a waste of time, but no one was worse than Finitevus. The albino echidna was wasting time to gain some 'incubation chamber'. He had four thousand years to plan, and yet he still procrastinated. He instead took his time with his stupid little genome projects. The fool...

But no more! The doctor could waste his own time, but not Dimitri's time. He would perform his own little mission. With his amazing powers, he awoken a group of robotic bodies which laid in the deepest recesses of the underwater base. One by one, these blue-eyed machines arrived, their bodies cloaked in black garbs. They stood side by side and gazed upon Dimitri with complete obedience in their eyes.

"Finitevus can be as foolish as he wishes," Dimitri stated, "But not I," the aquatic base started to shake, "Find the eighth Chaos Emerald, and bring it to me this instant!"

In unison, their heads nodded.

…

"Wow!" Amy said as she pranced along the sidewalk, "I never knew how easy shopping would be with a strong man back here!"

If she continued talking like, the robot would not hesitate to blow her brains out.

What an odd trio, they were. Amy lead the group, bags of clothing in her hands, with Tikal following closely behind. Even further back, the murderous sovereign of destruction himself, E-123 Omega. Everyone who passed them on the sidewalk parted immediately, as the robot made sure to threaten the individuals with his optics. He carried so much clothing on his body; pounds of bags which would make a human man scream. It was relatively light to him, but that didn't make him feel any better. Maybe it was Amy's annoying voice which made his rage spike to unknown levels.

"I swear Omega," she stated, "I will never go shopping without you again!"

"Preparing to annihilate!" he commented, though she seemingly ignored it.

"Oh, Tikal! In here!" she pointed to yet another random clothing shop, "I'm pretty sure you'll love this!"

"Oh will I?" the echidna answered with lackluster, as her friend pulled her into yet another store.

She stared up to the name of this shop seeing something along the lines of 'Victoria's Secret' gaze back. Gazing through the window, she could see such frilly looking clothing gaze back. It made her swallow her spit, while her bubbly pink friend pulled her in. Omega, on the other hand, remained outside for an extended period of time. His rotating head spun around, scanning the city block he currently inhabited. Other than the many people gazing upon him in awe, there was something _off_ about the air. He couldn't quite put his finger on it however.

Maybe his scanners were on the fritz, he would adjust them upon his return home. For now, he followed the two Mobians into the lingerie store without a second thought. His job was simple: protect Tikal, despite what that annoying hedgehog would say.

"See? How about these?" the hedgehog commented as she rose a box, "Do you like them?"

The echidna gazed upon the lingerie with wide eyes, whilst thinking what she should say. They were lace and gentle appearing, a bra and panties, possibly silky smooth as well. She couldn't tell thanks to the seal keeping them in place.

"What am I supposed to do with these?" the echidna asked her friend, "I don't think I'm allowed to walk around with these on, ya'know..."

"Oh you silly!" Amy said as she pulled her close, "You don't walk around in them! Well, not _outside_ at least. Besides, the whole point of them are to be taken off, not worn."

"Clothing that's whole point is _not_ to be worn?" the echidna shook her head, "Are you crazy? That doesn't make much sense, Amy..."

"It's called lingerie, Tikal dear, and I'm pretty sure you will _love_ them."

"I don't get the point..."

"Here!" she suddenly shoved the clothing in her hand, "There's a changing room in the back, try them on and I promise you'll see it from my point of view."

"Have you worn this... uh... lingerie?" Tikal inquired as she held the frilly undergarments in her hands.

"Not these kinds, I've worn another kind for Sonic," she suddenly started to giggle, "He was so astonished, he was clawing at my door, the little blue devil!" she pointed at the changing rooms, "Now hurry up, we have a lot more places to go through, you know!"

"Okay..." she held the clothing up and started walking for the changing rooms.

From behind, she heard Omega's metallic feet follow-up. He was following her into the changing room, but Amy stopped him.

"Where do you think you're going!?" she inquired with an insulted voice.

"I am protecting Tikal!" he answered, "And you are hindering that mission. Move before I eliminate you!"

"I think she can protect herself," Amy responded, "She is going to a changing room, after all!"

"I am not convinced!" Omega stated sternly, "Now move or be destroyed, your choice."

"No!"

Fighting prowess or not, Omega would destroy her. Even with that hammer of hers, she was nothing compared to him. That smug face of hers was also particularly grading. All throughout the morning he was imagining destroying her. He had no reason to do so, _yet_. If she so much as touched him, or Tikal for that matter, he would blow her brains out. Hey, he'd just say he was 'protecting' himself and his echidna ally.

Fortunately for the both of them, Tikal squeezed her way between.

"Amy, it's alright, Omega can come..." she started to blush whilst turning to face him, "Just... don't look... _please_?"

The robot bent down so their faces could be at the same level.

"Don't flatter yourself," he stated darkly, "I don't understand why you humanoids are so self-conscious about your bodies..."

Tikal felt a bit embarrassed by his statement, but seemed to understand. She may not have understood _everything_ about this world yet, but it was easy to say Omega didn't have a particular gender. Sure, they referred to him as a male, but he really wasn't one. He's just Omega.

Walking beyond him, she quickly entered the changing hall, leaving Amy behind. The hedgehog, while annoyed by Omega's demeanor, decided to shop around herself.

…

He prodded his fingers, one by one. His glasses reflected the lights, and hid his blue eyes well. His nose, while large, were hidden well by his hands. His great mustache stretched from ear to ear, possibly even farther. Behind his circular framed spectacles, the dictator squinted at the albino echidna standing before him. Caught off guard, the overzealous doctor could only stare in shock at the egg-shaped man before him.

"You have five seconds to tell me why you are here, before I vaporize you on the spot!" the red coat wearing doctor barked as he pulled a red, near toyish, looking pistol from his hovering craft.

"Dr. Robotnik," Finitevus answered as he walked back, "What are you doing here?"

"This is my castle, _my_ land!" the dictator responded as his gun aimed toward the echidna's head, "You have no right to ask why _I_ am here! I should be asking you why _you_ are here!" his finger began to itch on the trigger, "Last chance! Before I fry you on the spot!"

Well, it would be a lie to say Finitevus saw this coming, but it would be an equal lie to say he didn't expect it. He prepared for this moment, the moment where he comes in contact with the doctor himself. He put his hand behind his back where it started to surge with power.

"Now, now!" he murmured, a sadistic smirk appearing on his lips, "No need to get!" he forced his hand out, firing a blast of Chaotic energy, "VIOLENT!"

His attack connected, reducing Dr. Robotnik to mere ash. Or so the echidna believed. When the dust settled, the great mustachioed fiend remained in his Egg Cart, floating in the middle of the air. A shield was projected over his body, one which quickly vanished. Dr. Robotnik's face had only grown harder, as his pistol aimed toward his astonished assailant.

"Your attack holds Chaos Power," the dictator stated, "I say I'm surprised..." to Finitevus' surprise, he placed his laser pistol away, "If I try to battle you, I will surely lose."

"Wow..." the echidna murmured, "I thought your stubborn nature would lead you to destruction," he straightened up, "No matter... Run along, Ivo, and allow me to my work. I promise I will be out of your hair in no time..."

"_But_..."

"But?"

"I may not be enough to destroy you," Dr. Robotnik smiled, "_But _Metal Sonic can!"

Silence. Finitevus gained a terrified expression. He knew Metal Sonic, he knew that blue demon. He knew the power, the strength, the _destruction_,the faux hedgehog could create. He knew he should be making his way out now.

But it was too late, for through the silence, heavy metallic footsteps echoed. They grew closer, and closer, and closer, when the sliding door opened. There _he_ stood. Reflective blue body, steel limbs connected his arms and legs to his body, dark hollowed out eyes. The robotic hedgehog looked like a zombie. But then, those eyes of his lit up, a red color. He glared into Finitevus' eyes with his soulless ones.

"Now please, Metal Sonic," Robotink commented as he flew up and away, "Try not to make a mess of the area."

His words gave way to Metal Sonic's attack. The blue demon rushed forward, the thrusters on his back flaring red-hot. He slammed into Finitevus with a brutal tackle, crashing through the glass window which separated them from the incubation chamber. The overzealous doctor landed on his feet first, while Metal Sonic hovered slightly above the ground. In a threatening gesture, the faux hedgehog tightened his fist. Growling, Finitevus fired another blast of Chaotic energy. With great ease, Metal Sonic deflected the attack by swiping his hand through the air. Little did the hedgehog know, this was a ruse.

Time seemed to stop for Finitevus, as he gazed upon his robotic foe. The blue demon was preparing a strike, but from his body a series of after-images flowed. Finitevus scanned the thousands of moves Metal Sonic could perform, and ultimately, the echidna narrowed them down to three. When Metal Sonic dashed forward to attack, the overzealous doctor had already come up with a counter measure.

The faux hedgehog delivered a punch; Finitevus easily averted it. The blue demon struck with a kick. Once again, Finitevus stopped and ended the strike. Pulling back, Metal Sonic performed an axe kick which was backed by the moment of his thrusters. This strike was strong enough to level the armored hull of a tank. Finitevus lifted both of his arms and blocked the powerful strike. The kick sent a quake through the room, and placed a dent beneath the doctor's toes.

Metal Sonic pulled back. Finitevus smiled, for not even he could believe the turn this battle had taken. From all the time he spent scanning Metal Sonic over the years, he never believed he was strong enough to stand toe to toe with the faux hedgehog. His body was stronger than even he believed.

But, Metal Sonic was doing something weird. His eyes were no longer red, instead they were green. Finitevus, though ready for an attack, gazed in awe at the hedgehog. Metal Sonic's green eyes remained for an extended period of time, before finally returning to their ember red color.

"Unknown echidna's data has been copied!" Metal Sonic suddenly stated.

"WAIT! WHAT!?"

The blue demon dashed forward. Once again, Finitevus's super computer brain created a thousand after-images. He attempted to narrow them down to three, as per usual, but something odd happened. The thousand images became one million, then one million into two million, the two million into one billion, one billion into trillion. Finitevus' mind was overloaded with images, and thus, he was unable to narrow them down into three outcomes.

It happened so suddenly, when Metal Sonic struck him. His sharp elbow dashed into the echidna's chest, taking all the air the doctor had. He struck next with an open palm, which threw Finitevus away. A sudden dashed, and the robotic being became like light. He reappeared beneath Finitevus's body, and thus rushed his knee up. Striking the overzealous doctor in the spine, he made the doctor cry out in pain. _Finitevus_ _cried out in pain._ His body shouldn't have been able to do that. Next, the robot struck with a roundhouse kick to his enemy's chin, once again sending him away.

Finitevus crashed into the wall; his body quaking with a pain. His golden optics stared forward to see Metal Sonic walking toward him. The hole in the robot's chest suddenly turned a bright blue color, for he was charging a beam. Even though Finitevus' mind only created one outcome, he neglected to act on it. Instead raising his arms, the demented doctor prepared for impact.

Metal Sonic fired a laser from his chest, one which severed the echidna's arm from his body. Finitevus quickly fell to his knees in defeat, while Metal Sonic moved slowly forward.

"That's enough, Metal!" Robotnik's voice called from overhead.

Like a dog, Metal Sonic stepped back, allowing his creator to come near. The doctor descended upon Finitevus, his hands stroking his brilliant mustache. Though angered, Finitevus was in no position to fight or run. Or now, he would rely on the art of deception.

"Now, before Metal Sonic turns you into dust..." the dictator began, "Who are you, and what business do you have with me?"

"My name is Dr. Finitevus..." the albino spat, "And I have a proposition for you, doctor."

…

"How are you Shadow's friend, Omega?" the echidna inquired as she removed her shirt.

"We are allies by action," the E-series robot replied, "We had to team up in order to find the nature of his amnesia, and the causer of these problems"

"Amnesia?" the started to remove her pants as well, a blush growing on her muzzle, "Starman, I mean, Shadow had amnesia?"

"For the longest..." Omega answered as he reminisced of days past, "Unfortunately, he did not get the answers he sought, it took him longer to find those..."

"How did he find his answers?" she asked next.

"ACCESS DENIED!"

Omega's sudden bark jolted Tikal, making her turn to face him. His red optics glared holes into her soul; this was _not_ information he wanted her to have. Though she wished to prod further, she knew it was wise to hold her tongue. She would just have to ask the Starman himself after this was all said and done. Where was he, by the way? Maybe he was home, wondering where she was? If that were true, well, she would just die. Then again, it wasn't like the Starman to worry. Speaking of which...

She gazed at herself in the mirror. The silky bra and panties, they felt odd on her. But Amy said she would love them, maybe the hedgehog meant something different. Maybe it wasn't exactly meant for _her_ per say, but meant for another. The Starman? Possibly. From Amy's words, the echidna surmised Sonic like the lingerie. Then again...

Omega suddenly clenched the echidna tightly and pulled her close to his body. She wanted to gasp, but the robot's hand covered her lips. Gazing up to the machine in fear, Tikal tried to understand why he was acting this way. Omega merely pointed whirled his head in a circular motion. Tikal didn't know why, but she listened to the robot. He wanted her to be quiet. Realizing that she understood this, the robot released her.

Slowly, to the changing room's door, Omega moved over. His claw receded into his arm and was replaced by his coveted Gatling gun. His bullets spread through the door...

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_So uh... yeah... let's just hurry this up, huh?_

_So yeah, deleted content, cause you guys love that crap, don't ya? This chapter was supposed to have an added scene with Shadow, but I decided to cut it and save it for the next chapter ya'know? It was also supposed to have Rouge attempt to reconcile after her accusations of Tikal, but I cut that too. I might stave off on that for a while._

_Also, Eggman and Metal Sonic. Well, Dr. Robotnik and Metal Sonic. You see, when I write the good old doctor, I tend to treat him weirdly. We all know Dr. Robotnik as some bumbling scientist who is an idiot, no arguments there. But me, I try to give him some respect. When I write him, I boil the good doctor to two personas. Eggman, which is his silly foolish, can't win self, and Dr. Robotnik, the brilliant designer who is pure evil and will kill to get his way. In this story, I'm going to be focusing on Dr. Robotnik. Sure, Sonic and his friends will call him Eggman and stuff, but for the most part, he's going to be serious, demented, and above all, evil. Yeah, I'm that guy. Metal Sonic is also evil and uber, but he's Metal Sonic, what did you expect?_

_Well, I left with a cliffhanger because I'm a jerk. Sorry you guys, gonna have to wait. Tomorrow, I finish Shadows from Before. Maybe, it all depends on what I write, of course._

_Till next time! _

_It's the most magnificent!_

_ Maverick Kay Prime!_

_Signing out!_


	10. Unionship

Unionship

She couldn't help but to hold up the frilly panty and stocky combo in front of her. In the corner of the shop, she took brief glances toward the entrance and exits. What if someone she knew were to walk in on her right now, and see her buying such scandalous clothing? The pink hedgehog would die of embarrassment. Then again, the thought also excited her. She couldn't help but to giggle as she stuffed her face behind one of the many aisles. The chime of the stores bell echoed aloud.

These cloaked beings, shrouded in mystery, stepped into the store. The pink hedgehog gazed upon them in curiosity; finding their choice in clothing to be odd. She thought nothing of it, however, for the hedgehog dressed in a similar fashion when she first started coming to this store. But a group of four was an interesting group indeed. She felt quite uneasy with them around. In spite of her earlier thoughts, these individuals didn't look like they were browsing for frilly fabrics. They were instead, paying close attention to the changing rooms in the back. So what were they? Perverts? Possibly, but she wouldn't let them get away with it. Her friend was in one of those rooms.

The hedgehog stepped away from the clothing line, in order to stop the movements of one of these beings. She was already angry, though she hadn't started spouting fumes. Her fists were on her hips, and she was hunched over. Despite the belittling, nearly motherly, disposition she had taken, the pink hedgehog didn't stop the person she set out to derail. She couldn't even get a good look at them either.

The cloaked being shoved past her shoulder, knocking her back. The hedgehog couldn't believe that happened. It was as if she weren't even there. Being treated like nothing, it made her anger grow a few levels. She grasped the handle of her beloved hammer, and readied it at her side. But before she could swing the weapon, or even withdraw it, her slender arm was gripped by another. She turned up and away to face this person, only to see yet another cloaked being. His grip clenched, making her wince. With one eye open, and the other close, the hedgehog got a defined image of this being.

He was orange, with shining blue eyes. Seeing him made her eyes widen in shock. She had seen this being before, but he had _died_ so long ago. So what was he doing now? She mouthed out his name.

"Emerl?"

Indeed, it was a Gizoid. But it was not the one she remembered. The robot's blue eyes never once wavered. It had no compassion for the girl it held onto. In fact, the machine held only malice. With great ease, the Gizoid lifted the pink hedgehog. She tried to call, but a fist quickly lodged itself into her gut. All the air was taken from her with that one, single, punch. The next attack seemed to be equally as unnecessary. The Gizoid slammed its elbow upon its victim, slamming her into the earth. She was out cold, as if it were necessary to say.

The Gizoid shifted his attention toward the woman at the counter. Her eyes were wide with horror, as she had witnessed the display before her. The three cloaked beings in the room removed their hoods, showing that they _all_ looked identical. All were orange, all had blue eyes, all were Gizoids. And all were _deadly_. The lead Gizoid stepped toward the clerk, his fist raised high. It wouldn't be all that hard to end the woman who stood before him. She was, after all, _collateral damage._

He never got the chance, for his head was _blown_ clean off. His body stood tall, despite its lack of a head, as loose wires sparked from its neck. It fell soon after, and collapsed onto the earth. The three remaining Gizoids stared toward their fallen comrade. Then, in unison, their heads laid upon the door at the end of the shop. More bullets spread from the wooden entryway, causing the Gizoids to dash about. These bullets tore through the entire store with ease, destroying clothing worth thousands, and the front window as well. As glass sprinkled upon the landed, the door finally crumbled into pieces.

A titanic robot stepped into the room, one that dwarfed the Gizoid's in size. Black and red, it held the Greek symbol for Omega on its shoulders. The machine's hands were Gatling guns, and those Gatling guns were howling through the wind. Fire blared from its individual barrels, bullet casings fell onto the ground, while sharp led pierced the land. His aim was spot on, tracing the dashing antics of the Gizoids, and missing anyone who wasn't his foe. Unfortunately, the Gizoids were fast and dodged his attacks with ease. He never loosened his attack, however.

"Omega!" the orange echidna behind him yelled, "Omega!? What is going on!?"

"Unknown personnel of destructive origins have arrived!" the brutal machine answered, "I am only relieving them of their lives!" his head spun around to meet her face, "I recommend you stay put, Tikal! Or else!"

Before she could reply, he turned back to strike his foes. Their evasive maneuvers were impressive, but not enough. He continued to rain bullets on their positions, while he dashed around himself. The thrusters on the back of his body helped him skirt around the demolished store with ease. When one Gizoid appeared at his backside, the destructive robot rotated his body by its waist, and struck with a powerful punch. The strike sent his assailant into the wall, where it crashed into the neighboring store. Shifting his vision to the remaining two Gizoids, Omega withdrew his Gatling gun. Instead, he aimed the gaping darkness of his arm at his foes, revealing a rocket within.

The front end of the store erupted into a magnificent blaze.

…

"Do you want some tea?"

The overzealous doctor stared upon the doctor before him, his body quaking. There was a glass before him, one filled with the light brown substance the dictator spoke of. Not wanted to try the hand of the egg-shaped man, the albino echidna stretched forward to grab the glass. He slowly brought it up to his lips, and took a sip. It was truly pointless, as his robotic body could no longer smell, or feel, or _taste_, for that matter.

"Good boy," the demented dictator commented with a smile, as the echidna placed back down the cup of tea, "Now, tell me who you are Doctor, uh, Finitevus..."

The echidna straightened himself up. Before him sat the very darkened soul of the world, Doctor Ivo Robotnik. He and the great mustachio fiend sat in a room extremely different from his usual fair. It held an old-fashioned, homey style. A red rug laid beneath the furniture pieces, expertly covering the metal flooring. A fire-place was burning lightly a few meters away. Dr. Finitevus and his human counterpart sat near a table, which was in the exact center of the room. Great windows were around, showing the massive land that was Genocide City. The two weren't alone in the room though, for Metal Sonic was only a few feet away. And he was keeping a watchful eye over the echidna before him.

There was so much tension in the air, it was mind-numbing. Dr. Robotnik's smile belied a painful end for the echidna, and they both knew it. If Finitevus wanted to survive this exchange, and come out on the winning side, he'd need to use his brains more than ever.

"Finitevus," Ivo murmured, "Your arm, Finitevus, does it hurt?"

His commented was a snarky and teasing one, for Finitevus lacked an arm. The arm which was destroyed by Metal Sonic's laser was hidden behind the albino's echidna, though he still quaked from the pain of his missing limb. His super computer brain worked to settle the struggles within, but that would come at a different time.

"Like I said," the echidna murmured, "I have a proposition for you, Robotnik," he shuttered, "One you'd be foolish to take..."

"And what would that be?" Ivo inquired, "And why would I be a fool to take it? If anyone is the fool here it is," he pointed, "You..."

"Don't give me that," Finitevus grumbled in pain, "What I have for you is very important..."

"And what do you have for the man who has _everything_?"

"You say you have everything," Finitevus chuckled, "But _power_."

"What did you say!?" the doctor roared.

Robotnik stretched forward to grip Finitevus' collar. From behind, Metal Sonic readied himself to strike down the echidna. Despite the level of danger he was in, he retained this cocky, almost uppity, smile.

"You say you have everything, Ivo," Finitevus continued, "But you lack the driving for to take the world. Time after time, your efforts are ruined by a blue hedgehog, and his ridiculous friends!" Ivo nodded, seeming to agree with Finitevus' words, though he didn't like it, "Only a few times have you come close to victory, only for it to blow up in your face. But not any more..."

"And how so can you help me?" Robotnik inquired as he released his hold on Finitevus' collar.

"Simple..." he started to chuckle, "I can get you an unlimited supply of Gizoids. As much as you could ever want."

"Gizoids?" the dictator said shocked, "As in... _thee_ Gizoids. Much like Emerl?"

"Indeed, Ivo..." Finitevus said as he took yet another sip of his tea, "Imagine, a world where you have an army of Gizoids, and army who learns everything about their enemies, and could easily destroy them. Sonic had trouble keeping a control over one Gizoid, imagine what an entire armada could do to him and his friends."

As much as it detested the Eggman, he couldn't help to agree. What _could_ an army of Gizoids do to Sonic and his friends? Destroy them where they stand. His Phi robots were impressive, the doctor couldn't disagree with that, but they were nothing compared to the real deal. And Finitevus claimed he could supply him with as much as he pleased.

"And how do I know I can trust you?" the dictator asked, "What business do you have with Gizoids?"

"Simple," Finitevus replied, "I am the man who first _created_ the Gizoids..." his words made Robotnik pull back in distrust, making the echidna chuckle, "I am Doctor Finitevus, the original creator of the Gizoids. I made them thousands of years ago when I was apart of the Nocturnus Tribe," he glanced up into Eggman's still shocked face, "You have little reason to distrust me, Ivo. I am, after all, an echidna. And let's be honest, how many echidnas have you seen, save for the one?"

Robotnik gazed up and away whilst thinking about a certain red echidna which constantly got on his nerves. So far, thing were adding up for Finitevus. He was an echidna, a robotic echidna no less, and the dictator knew of no other scientist which could create a being like him. But there was one issue with this web of words.

"What do _you _want?" Eggman asked next.

"Simple..." Finitevus replied, "I want the incubation chamber you created to hold Chaos..." he glanced up, "And you can do that for me."

…

She pulled her head through the top of the water. A hard sigh escaped her lips, as she peered up to the forest sky. It was night, the darkness was expansive, the stars were beautiful. Illuminated flies fluttered around in the air, bringing light and life to the darkened atmosphere. She couldn't help but to enjoy the sights of it all, though she was usually indifferent.

How many days had she spent here? She watched the sun rise and lower constantly, but she wasn't sure if it was natural or not. Being on a floating island, the sun and moon appeared to have its own magical cycle of rising and lowering. From that simple thought alone, she surmised she had been here about three days already. And in those three days, she had seen more than she ever did in her entire life. An icy metropolis, a searing desert, grassy fields for as far as the eye can see, and ruins from thousands of years ago. It was such a change from the usual darkened atmosphere of here underwater home. And she had one person to thank for all of this...

Julie-Su finally stepped out of the lakeside. She was completely naked, though she picked up a towel from the grass. Drying herself off, she took the time to enjoy her moment of solitude. They would go searching for Chaos soon, but not now.

"Hungry?" his voice echoed from overhead, as he dropped a berries from the treetop.

The magenta echidna looked up, as she watched the fruit drop. She saw his leg dangle over the tree branch, while he gazed nonchalantly into the distance. Julie couldn't believe it, as she stared up with her mouth agape. The echidna thought she was alone for the longest, but it was now obvious she thought wrong. Just how long was Knuckles sitting there? Did he watch as she bathed herself.

"Knuckles!?" she yelled as she tried fervently to cover herself, "What the hell!? How long have you been here?"

"I dunno," the echidna answered with a yawn, "How long have you been here? An hour? Then I've been here for half an hour."

"I thought you left to find something to eat!?" Julie barked.

"And I did," he replied, "That's why I've been sitting here for half and hour. The other half was spent searching for food," he let out another yawn, before glancing down to her, "Why are you so defensive? And what's up with your face? It's as red as mine."

"I don't know!?" she answered sarcastically, "Maybe it's because a peeping tom was watching me bathe!"

He rose an eyebrow. Obviously, the term of 'peeping tom' was lost with him, for he had no idea what she just said. He could still figure out what got her so riled up, however.

"Oh, I see," he commented with a sigh, "You're mad because you're naked, aren't you?"

"Now you notice it!?" she barked, "Did you watch me you pervert!?"

His vision squinted. 'Peeping tom' was unknown to him, but 'pervert', wasn't.

"How dare you call me a pervert?" he remarked with annoyance, "I swear, I do not understand you people."

"You people?" she replied.

"Yes, you people," he hopped down from the tree, "You _under-dwellers_, that's what I call you, anyway. I swear, you are so preoccupied with your looks, when they seemingly mean nothing," he shook his head, "Why are you trying to hide your naked self, is it not natural?"

She punched him, _hard_. Her fist dove into his face, and sent him back. He was so surprised by the hit, he didn't attempt to strike back. He instead focused on her hit.

"Don't try to make excuses for yourself!" she roared.

But, once again, Knuckles focused on the punch to his nose. Boy, did it hurt.

"Nice punch there," he commented as he got to his feet, seemingly ignoring the conversation they had before, "Where'd you get a straight like that?"

"Are you thick-headed?" she replied, "What track does your mind run on?"

"Eh, you're right," he turned around and faced down the forest, "Let's get some sleep, we gotta go lookin' for Chaos in the morning. And after today," he cracked his neck and back, "I think I've deserved a little R&R..."

He started walking off deeper into the forest, eventually being swallowed by the trees and bushes. Julie lingered behind, her arms covering her chest and legs respectively. There was something about that echidna which pissed her off, yet something that also _attracted _her to him. He seemed so _natural_, if she dare said so herself. While she had various pieces of technology to help her get from Point A to Point B, he used only his body. Dare she say, the echidna was _jealous_? Possibly, but she sure as hell wouldn't admit it.

"Hey Knuckles..." she called as she followed him into the forest.

"What?" he called from within.

"I wanna ask you something..."

"And what is that?" he inquired.

"Who are we?" she gazed around the forest, looking for her ally, "I mean, as a people? Who are we echidnas?"

He fell from the canopies of the trees, landing into the grass near her. She jumped from his sudden fall, but calmed down soon enough.

"So you wanna know about us, huh?" he crossed his arms, "Didn't your father tell you about us?"

"Not really..." she pouted her lip, "He's very secretive about our history."

"I wonder why that is..." the echidna thought on the subject for a while, but ultimately shrugged it off. After taking a few steps away, he made a slight gesture with his fingers, "Then follow me, and I'll tell you everything you'd want to know, but first..." his face turned red, "Get dressed, I'm not sure how much longer I can contain myself."

She kicked him.

…

The flames continued to fume from the front window. The Gizoids blown away from the missile strike struggled to get to their feet. He leaped from the window of the store, landing heavily onto the sidewalk. His body cracked the ground and triggered a slight tremor through the air. It was like a car fell upon the earth from above. The two Gizoids on the street gazed up to the psychopathic robot, his name, E-123 Omega.

The murderous machines claws receded into his body, being replaced by darkness. It was similar to his rocket launcher, but different as well. He aimed this shadows of his arm barrels toward his foes, and fired. Flames spread through the gaping darkness, dousing the land with blistering heat. Those who weren't running before definitely were running now. They had good reason too; the combatants were not above injuring civilians.

Suddenly, a Gizoid leaped upon Omega's back. It was the same one he had thrown through the wall, and had thought was destroyed. Never the less, Omega caused his claws to return and grabbed the Gizoid by its body. He pulled it over his head then slammed it into the hard concrete earth, causing cracks and rumbles to echo out. The Gizoid's blue eyes dimmed off, fading into a grey color. But Omega wasn't pleased. His claw tore through its chest, separating the processing board which kept it alive.

It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. The machinery appeared to be thousands of years old, yet it was more powerful than anything he had ever seen before. Well, almost, it wasn't more powerful than him, of course.

Two Gizoids were down, two were left. Omega was more powerful, they realized that now. He was no ordinary machine, if that wasn't obvious before. If they planed on victory, they needed to up their game. Specifically, they needed to do what Gizoids do best. Their eyes turned green. Omega stopped suddenly, his eyes also turning green. Scanning his foes, he realized what they were doing. They were _copying_ him.

He quickly fired rockets at them. The shimmering missiles flew high, then dropped down upon them. The land before Omega erupted into flames, creating a whole between the roads above and the sewer systems below. When the dust settled however, the Gizoid's remained. One's arms were replaced by great bulky, black and red arms with claws, much like Omega. The other Gizoid's arms were replaced with rocket launchers, much like Omega's as well. Before the titanic machine knew it, he was fending off attacks of his own origins.

"Amy! Amy!" Tikal called as she shook her unconscious friend.

A sudden explosion shook the ground, making her duck down to her friend's body. Pulling back up, she watched as the pink hedgehog beneath her struggled to regained consciousness. After a few seconds, Amy pulled herself up, but not without a killer headache of course.

"Ouch, Tikal?" she whispered while looking at her, "Ugh... what happened?"

The hedgehog stared passed her friend, in order to get a better view of the area around her. It was a disaster. Clothing, worth thousands, was torn or on fire, and the store itself was a general mess. Singe marks, bullet holes, bullet cases, glass, they were everywhere! Amy truly did not envy the person who had to clean this catastrophe up.

"Tikal, Omega's outside fighting people..." the echidna shook her head, "We have to help him!"

"Fighting who?" Amy asked, "Eggman? Did he attack or something?"

"No," Tikal replied, "These orange things, I think..." she grew terrified, "I think they were... _Gizoids_."

Amy had no idea what a 'Gizoid' was, but she knew what she saw. That machine was the splitting image of Emerl. It wasn't the first time she saw a being reminiscent of her 'son', but that didn't make it any better. Struggling to her toes, the pink hedgehog peered out the window to see Omega clash with the Gizoid fiends. With every action he performed, they would copy with great ease. It was disturbing. How strong could these monsters get?

"This is bad..." the hedgehog remarked.

"Amy what do we do?" Tikal inquired.

"Well, you stay here," she got to her feet and withdrew her hammer, "I don't want you to get hurt, Tikal..."

Before the echidna could object, she ran off and leaped through the window. Omega struck one the Gizoid's away, only to have a flame douse his back. Spinning back, he counter attacked with a hail a bullets. With his concentration on one foe, the other stood to strike him in the back. The Gizoid lifted the claws it held, and leaped forward. Before it could strike however, a hammer slammed into his face. The Gizoid was sent crashing into the street, where it quickly recoiled.

"Why are you here?" Omega asked of Amy.

"What!? Shouldn't you be happy I'm helping!?" she asked back.

"Not really," he turned to face her, "Take Tikal and leave," he turned back around, "That is an order..."

Once again preparing his Gatling guns, Omega marched off to face one of the Gizoids. But of course, Amy ignored his commands. Turning back around, she leaped for the Gizoid she struck earlier. With great ease, he dodged her strike. Amy would have chased him, but a massive ringing in her head stopped her. She wasn't just fighting a Gizoid, she was also fighting a headache. Within this moment of weakness, the Gizoid struck at her with a claw. Somehow, she dodged the strike; only a few blades of her pink hair was severed. Falling on her back, Amy quickly recoiled, dodging a strike which would have impaled her.

Now Amy was regretting her actions. The hedgehog wished she listened to Omega's commands, instead of continuing on this ill-fated battle. It looked like this beast would tear her asunder, and without a moment's hesitation. Speaking of which...

The Gizoid swiped the massive claws it had at Amy's head. She constantly leaped back and away, dodging the strikes just barely. Somehow, she was able to strike the Gizoid away with her hammer, but not without falling on her butt as well. Gripping her head, she tried to stop the painful ringing inside. It wasn't working, unfortunately enough.

Her body was suddenly engulfed in a shadow, making her gaze up. The Gizoid with the claw arms was falling upon her. Before the blade could strike her however, she was scooped up in the arms of another. Gazing up, she found Omega's red eyes glaring back.

"What did I tell you..." he stated, but less in a questioning way, "Leave! You are in no condition to battle."

"But I can't just leave you, Omega..." she responded with her mind throbbing.

"It is better for all involved," he answered, "Now go, and take Tikal with you."

She got to her feet, all though with a woozy quaking. The hedgehog understood Omega's words, and could feel the urgency rumbling through it. Nodding, she began to walk off.

Only for a claw to rip through his chest.

Metal pieces flew from Omega's body, as a sterling silver claw impaled him. The robot cried in pain, while wires danced and sparked from his body. He tried to shake his foe off, but the Gizoid would not be disbarred. It wrenched its claw deeper into Omega's body, causing even more machinery to fly. Finally, E-123 struck him with his arm, dislodging his foe from his body. He stood for a few moments after, only to fall hard onto the ground. Amy quickly clenched his body; watching as his head spun around in circles. Now she was really feeling pointless. Because of her actions, Omega was _dying_. And the Gizoids were moving forward.

"Okay you win!" Amy said as she waved her hand, "Just go away!"

But they wouldn't leave, not until she and he were _dead_.

"Run..." Omega ordered, "Or... else-else-else..."

His body was glitching, thanks to the injury he sustained. But Amy lingered behind. She knew the fate of robots she left. That is, _self-destruction_.

"Please leave!" Tikal's voice pleaded.

She suddenly ran between her friends and their enemies. The Gizoids stopped suddenly, while she stretched her arms out. She wouldn't let her friends be hurt.

"It's... It's me you want, right?" she asked as she shook her head, "I'm that... eight _Chaos_ Emerald everyone keeps talking about, right? I'm the one you want so..." she closed her eyes, "Just take me! Stop hurting Amy and Omega!"

But they pressed on...

…

He threw a kick toward the air, one that easily cut through the silence. Stepping back, he eyed the imaginary foe he was face. Jutting left and right, he countered with punches and kicks, all of which with expert speed and skills. Just seeing his own actions was enough to bring a smile to his face. It didn't bring a smile to the being behind him.

"Sonic, can you stop?" Tails inquired from behind with raised shoulders.

The blue hedgehog glanced over at his two-tailed friend, gaining a smirk from his words.

"What's the matter?" he asked with a chuckle, "Can't stand the sound of it?"

"Not really..." Miles replied as his eyes settled on the TV screen before him, "Why don't you go home and train? Besides you should really calm down, Sonic. You still have a cast _and _a leg brace."

"That may be true," Sonic answered as he punched through the air, "But there's a method behind my madness," he threw another kick, "You see Tails, your home here has the best video technology in the world," he threw a series of punches, all with grunts, "When I'm here, I'm super safe!" he performed an axe kick, "Amy left earlier today, and I know its only a matter of time before she comes back," he spun around to gain some momentum, "If I'm here, I'd know how close she gets, and thus can run away before she gets anywhere near me," he stopped to take a battling pose, "Besides, I need to be prepared Tails. That echidna I fought, the albino one, he made me feel so weak..." he squinted, "I'm not about to let that happen again. I'm going to be prepared the next time..."

Tails was so bored by Sonic's words, he nearly ignored them. Let's face it, he had heard it all before. It always boiled down to one thing. Amy was searching for him; he was scared. The fighting thing didn't matter anyway, he was Sonic the hedgehog after all. Anyone who beats him one round will have hell to pay the second time around.

So, he started to click rapidly through the TV. He wasn't really sure what he was looking for, until it popped up. The news, of course, and there was quite a headliner.

_Violence in Central City! _It said with an aerial view of the city streets.

Sonic nor Tails was sure what was going on, but the image said enough. Smoke was rising steadily into the air, showing explosions had gone off. And there appeared to be recognizable beings on the road. Tails straightened up; he knew what Sonic was about to do. He quickly turned around to tell the hero 'no'. He was much to injured to battle. But as soon as he faced the area his buddy stood at, he found nothing. The door was open, however.

…

The door to his home opened. He may have been a super powerful weapon of destruction, who had saved the world a plethora of times, but he was still a man. And as such, he hated his job just like everyone else. Standing in the doorway with a face of absolute exhaustion, his ruby eyes scanned the length of his living room.

"Tikal, Omega..." he called, "I'm home..."

He grumbled under his breath, as he staggered his way toward the couch. Falling face first into it, he groaned deeply into its pillows. He didn't know why he was so tired; today was just another day. He didn't fight anyone, or go on any mission, or stop some dictator or anything, he just did paper work. Pounds upon pounds of paper work. It made him want to claw his eyes out. He was sure the reason why he got most of the paper work, was because he could file out hundreds in under minutes.

At least he was home now. Soon, he would be with the echidna he had, admittedly, fallen for. But where was she? The home was oddly quiet, and that sense of adoration he gained from her, was not here. Straightening himself up, he gazed left and right. He had been home for a minute now; he fully expected to see her running toward him by now. But he was completely alone. Not even Omega was here. Why is that?

He felt his heart begin to thump. There was something wrong, something _very_ wrong. He could feel it.

And it sent a shock through his head.

The black and red hedgehog quickly fell onto the floor, his hands gripping his head. He growled and roared into the air as a jolting pain ricocheted through his head. It was like a thousand needles were prickling against his brain. After a minute of suffering, he felt the pain relieve itself. Something was definitely wrong. He needed to find Tikal.

He ran for the door, pushing it open with ease. The next second, he dashed away at amazing speeds.

…

Tikal started to walk back and away, while the Gizoids stepped closer. Despite her earlier bravado, the echidna was having a heightened sense of fear. She wasn't sure what these Gizoids wanted, or what they were going to do to her. Whether it be painful or _worse_. But it would be for the better, right? One soul for two? That is if Omega had a soul, she wasn't sure honestly. But it was just the _right_ thing to do, she knew that might. She could accept this.

But all that acceptance flew out the window when one of the Gizoid's touched her. She shivered, and closed her eyes. The touch was cold and heartless. It was so alien yet _familiar _to her. She had _felt_ this being before, she remembered it. And it angered her.

Her eyes opened. Gone were those forest green orbs, instead they were red. As red as blood. She grabbed the Gizoid back by its shoulders. Her originally frail disposition was shattered. She appeared to be feral now, as she bore fangs from her mouth. The Gizoid tried to escape her hold, but it fruitless.

Tikal screamed. It was loud and monstrous. Green vocal waves ripped from the echidna's mouth, and upon her foes. The Gizoids felt a rippling sense of pain tear through their bodies. The circuit boards which kept them alive were fried by Tikal's wale, and it caused them to fall and crumble. Green electricity surged form their bodies, while their eyes exploded.

It happened quickly, but the damage was deadly. The Gizoids which had put up such an amazing fight, were now dead at Tikal's feet. She breathed in and out heavily; her now red eyes relaying the carnage before her. She seemed so animalistic now, the way she looked. And she didn't care.

"Tikal?" a male's voice whispered from behind.

There was a clicking in her head and her red eyes turned back to green. She down to the Gizoids, growing astonished as she peered at them. She wanted to desperately to run, but she didn't. The echidna was just so confused; what had happened to cause this?

"Tikal..." she spun around to see who was calling her. It was _him._

"Starman...?" she replied as he gazed upon him.

She quickly ran past Amy and Omega, to leap into his awaiting arms. Gazing into his eyes, she saw so much concern and safety, she couldn't help but to find shelter in it. She dove her face in his chest, trying her hardest to avoid the battle which occurred behind. She no longer wanted to deal with it.

"Tikal, what happened?" he asked, "Why are you here?"

"Starman..." she answered, "Amy brought me out here, we were shopping and-"

"Amy?" he asked, "Amy?"

Shadow broke their hold to glare upon the causer of these problems, a certain pink hedgehog. Amy was so preoccupied with Omega, she was ignorant of him. Until he stood tall behind her, that is. Turning around, she gazed up into his face. One of absolute malice glared back. She began to shiver, for she knew the levels of anger he could reach. And that level of anger jumped up a few notches when the Starman noticed the hole in his friends chest.

He grabbed her by the wrist. His hold caused pain to surge through her arm. With a mighty yank, he pulled the pink hedgehog up onto her feet. Every feeling of terror within her came back at a higher level, as she peered into the eyes of this man.

"Amy..." he snarled, his eyes squinting.

"Shadow I-I-!?"

He rose his opposite hand in a daunting manner; it was curled into a fist. The only thing she could do was brace for the impact. Her eyes closed and...

"I think that's enough, Shadow..."

Her eyes quickly reopened, and Sonic was there.

His hand was on Shadow's shoulder, holding him in place. Even though he was trying to lower the tension in the air, the blue hedgehog held a level of seriousness equal to his dark counterpart. Out the corner of his eye, Shadow gazed upon Sonic, only to gaze back at Amy. And he released her.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_So, after a brief period in which I finished up Shadows from Before, I am back to writing this. And, best of all, I will be focusing on this until I finish it. Or until I get another awesome idea for a story and decided to write it. By the way, I recommend you read Shadows from Before if you like Pokemon. I mean, I wrote it, meaning it's bound to be good, right? Or maybe I'm just a bit cocky. It could also very well be both, but you know._

_Anywhoozers, this chapter. Since this was chapter ten, I wanted it to be longer, and have more stuff in it. I'm also setting the seeds for the future, as you can tell. I mean, Finitevus and Dr. Robotnik are building a union, Knuckles is about to tell Julie-Su about their people, Gizoids attacked, and now Shadow has gotten a bit violent. Yeah, this is bound to do some crazy stuff._

_Also, this chapter is supposed to reflect chapter ten of Tribal Dance. In that chapter, Shadow leaves without Tikal, and because he did so, he ran into some trouble. In this chapter, Tikal leaves without Shadow, and runs into some trouble. Both of their troubles are of different levels, and both are going to have their own repercussions. But you'll just have to wait and see what those repercussions are. Sorry you guys._

_So what do you guys think huh? Do you like what's going on or not? I'm just curious, you see? Oh well, guess you'll just have to wait until the next chapter, huh? _

_Man, I hope Mewtwo is in Super Smash Bros. 4. If not, I'll... probably still play the game... boy do I love SSB..._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	11. Tension

Tension

She too, felt fear when she gazed upon that face. It was filled with so much anger, so much malice. She felt her body shake and quiver, just from the sight alone. Had she ever seen him act like that before? A part of her said 'yes', but another part said 'no'. She was so conflicted. That's not he's supposed to act. That's not how the _Starman_ is supposed to act.

What if the blue one had not arrived in the timely fashion he did? Would the Starman have stricken her? Would he have passed judgment in an ill-timed fashion? Would he have, possibly, _killed_ her? No, no, no, that's just to maddening. Not the Starman. Not _her_ Starman. Just seeing him like this, it caused the world to stop. Stop for her, at least.

Thing started to move again when her friend, the pink hedgehog, Amy, moved back away from him. She gripped her wrist, where he grabbed her so savagely. Rubbing it caused some of that burning pain to resonate through her arm. She was never afraid of him before, well, not in this way. But her face sure did show fear. She wilted back and away from her. Every attempt to make eye contact was shattered by her on inhibitions.

She eventually relented to his stare. Turning around, she placed her face into her hands, and started to cry. In reality, she didn't understand why she was crying, but she was. It was like an entire world had fallen upon her, or it was something else. Just gazing into his eyes, those soulless, angered, punishable eyes, it made her realize the level of failure she descended upon.

And the Starman, Shadow, he continued standing there. He didn't say anything or do anything, other than stare. The blue hedgehog, Sonic, whose hand was placed on shoulder stepped back steadily, whilst moving his hand away. The green-eyed, cyan hero was just as disappointed by the image as the hedgehog before him, but it was a mystery to what he was really ashamed of. Was it Amy's actions, Or was it the actions of his darker version, that he was truly disappointed in? For a change, he didn't say. No one said anything.

Shadow started to walk, eventually. He didn't stop walking until he was at the side of his friend. Omega's red eyes were dimmed a ghastly blue. But that's not to say the robot was dead. Being Omega's ally for as long as he has, he could tell the machine was simply under self-repair mode. But how much longer would the mode last with the whole through his body, was mere conjecture. Omega needed help, and fast.

Despite the considerable size difference between the two, Shadow as able to lift Omega with ease. Glancing down the hole of his body, he saw the black of the street beneath. The dark hedgehog couldn't help but to shutter at the sight; no one should see their best friend in such a way. With a hole through his body, where it's possible to see the cords and wires which keep him alive, Shadow couldn't help but to shutter. Omega's condition was deplorable at best.

He turned with his ally in his arms, and walked off for the orange echidna behind him. Sonic remained standing in the same position, while Amy cried into her hands. The dark hedgehog walked and walked and walked, before stopping when he stood next to her. Tikal just gazed into him, her face so filled with emotions. Fear, regret, sadness, they were the most noticeable feelings she relayed. The hedgehog continued to say nothing; ultimately turning away. Tikal lingered behind, unsure of her next actions. Glancing away to Sonic, he was kneeling and consoling Amy, while the Gizoids lay dead some yards away. Turning the opposite way and facing Shadow, she saw him slowly leaving the area. She followed suit.

…

His head was now disconnected from his body, being instead strung up on wires and cords. The red eyes which were blue before were now red, showing he was awake. And when he's awake, people are sure to get an earful.

"I do not require upgrades!" Omega ordered, "Do not make any changes to my core designs that is not necessary!"

The blonde girl with the welding mask pried it off, shooting her robotic ally a glare.

"Just calm down, Omega!" she barked, "I'm working as hard as I can!"

She slid the welding mask back on a moment later, and set her blowtorch a flame again. As she applied the blue flame to metal, sparks flew in all directions. Omega watched from the distance, his head twirling around in a circular manner. The room they sat in was hot, the machine's sensors was enough to tell him that. For a human girl such as herself, it was a surprise she hadn't dropped yet. But he knew her, he knew how this was just another day for her.

She constantly darted around the room to either weld metal, or to work on the circuitry that kept the robot working. She was a brilliant multitasker for a fourteen year old girl. How she was able to easily skirt around the room to weld metal or connect diots, would forever be a mystery to all. Then again, Omega was constantly ordering her around, making it known how he wanted his body to be repaired. If one were to listen to him, they would forget he's nothing but a head.

Outside the repair station, gazing through the window, was a certain teal-eyed bat. She stood with her hand on her chin, while her wings folded inwardly. She shook her head at the antics occurring within. Though it was fortunate Omega lived, the bat couldn't help but to feel as if it were all avoidable. Attacked, by Gizoids of all things. She didn't want to think about it.

The door beside her opened and closed. She didn't pay much attention to it, for she already knew who the being was. Breathing in and out, her chest heaved up and down. Then she turned to face him. His ruby eyes and hard face belied the emotions he was feeling within, she could tell that. They were friends, after all. Still, she couldn't help but to put on her 'I told you so' face, though it was noticeably melancholic. Her eyes grew lidded, as she glanced back over to the repair station. A room usually reserved for G.U.N. Bots was now being reserved for their ally.

"Who was right, Shadow?" she asked of him, though with a regretful tone, "Who was right?"

"Don't start..." his low voice answered, "Not now, Rouge..."

He stood beside her and crossed his arms in that usual stance of his. He didn't want to talk, though he knew Rouge would force it out of him, one way or another.

"She's a ball of trouble, Shadow..." Rouge murmured.

"What did I say?" he threatened.

"No, Shadow!" she grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him to look at her, "You can try to be silent, but I will have my say!" he didn't reply, though his face took a few notches in anger, "It's one thing when she's killing you, fine! Go ahead! Kill yourself! Don't listen to me!" she pointed at Omega, "But when other people are brought into this insanity, when _Omega_ is brought into this insanity, that's when I draw the line!"

"It's not Tikal's fault!" Shadow stated, his voice holding a growl, "They were attacked, you know that, I know it, even Amy has stated it!"

"And you know why they were attacked!?" she asked in a sarcastic way, "Because of Tikal. She was the target, just like the last time. She's a walking catastrophe, Shadow. She's killing you slowly, and some unknown group of people with _Gizoids_ are attacking her. Gizoids! You know, those machines powered by Chaos Emeralds that can kill armies with ease! She was attacked by three of them!"

After the brief rant, Rouge growled to release some of the tension in her head. She couldn't believe this was happening. After the adventures she went on, she was able to see the chaos which would spread from this. It was only a matter of time before everything went straight to hell. She was no fool.

"So what do you think we do, huh?" Shadow asked, pointlessly.

Rouge gazed at him. She knew he would disregard anything and everything she says from this point on. Tikal was his number one priority at this moment of time.

"I don't know..." she said earnestly, "It's obvious you have... _feelings_ for this girl, Shadow, and I'm not about to command you, as if you'd listen..." she glanced back out the window, "I just... recommend you take a leave from work, and figure things out on your own..." she sighed, "_And_ be prepared."

He didn't make an answer, leaving the two in a swell of silence. A moment or two later, the door opened and closed. Rouge merely shook her head.

Shadow placed his back on the door as he thought on Rouge's words. Was it so obvious that he had feelings for Tikal? As silly as it was to say, he was still trying to keep these things hidden. Then again, he was doing a terrible job at it. Having Tikal live with him and sleeping in the same bed was a horrible way of hiding feelings. It was obvious to all he sucked at these kinds of things. Relationships, ugh, he had no idea how to approach one.

Clearing his mind of these thoughts, he walked off for a certain room. It was hidden away slightly, blocked off from the outside world by a doorway. She was sitting in a chair, while G.U.N. agents passed her left and right. Seeing him brought a smile to her face, though it quickly smoldered into a gaze of depression. Seeing that face, it _hurt_ him inside. He quickly cleared the distance between the two, making her leap to her toes.

"Starman..." she called first.

"Tikal..." he answered.

She quickly hugged him, these faint tears trekking down her face. In the safety of his own office, he gripped her head lightly, and pressed her down. The embrace was strong and filled with love, though it was not enough to bring his mind back to reality. Rouge's words weighed heavily on his mind, making him ponder the possibilities. Was something terrible about to happen? Would he once again be separated from Tikal. _His_ Tikal? He didn't want to think about it.

"I'm sorry I left, Shadow..." she murmured, "I... I didn't think things were going to get so out of hand..."

He was angry she left the home, in all honesty, but he wouldn't say it. She was already under too much duress. Besides, maybe it was his fault. Work could have waited, it's not like he misses many days of work. In fact, it's quite the opposite. If he stayed home, then maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe, just maybe, he would have been able to put Dr. Finitevus in his place. Then none of this insanity would occur anymore.

"Starman..." she pulled back, "Shadow..."

"What's wrong?" he peered into her green eyes.

"Who are you?"

She asked it with a perplex faced. It caught Shadow off guard; where did she get off asking him such a question? Did she not know him? Did she not know the man she herself fell in love with? Then why was she asking such a thing?

"Starman..." she continued, "You were so ruthless to Amy... she did nothing wrong..." the echidna shook her head, "You made her cry..." finally, she gained the strength to gaze into his face, "Why? What did she do deserve such treatment?"

"Don't ask me that..." he said coldly, as he turned away, "You know exactly why I acted that way..."

"You've never acted that way before..." she gazed to her feet, "Not to anyone innocent, after all..." she closed her eyes, "You, Starman... Shadow... You're supposed to be a judge, you know that? People look up to you to make the correct choices, not punish them for things they did by accident..." she looked up to him again, seeing him gaze back out the corner of his eye, "That, what you just did, it was so... out there... I felt, as if for a moment, I didn't _know _you," she reached her hand forward to grip him by the shoulder, "Who are you, Starman?"

There were a million things Shadow could have done. Some right, some wrong, it was his choice. He was faced with a decision he did not like; a force he could not answer. When faced with a problem like this, he would act in the most primal of ways. In anger, that is. But he couldn't get mad at Tikal, not her. He _loved_ her after all. But he couldn't answer this question either. So he reacted in a new way.

"You've had a long day..." he said, putting an end to this farce of a conversation, "Let me take you home..."

Tikal wilted.

…

"Yup..." Tails said as he slid away one of his monocoles, "It's a Gizoid alright..."

He pulled back from the table; his blue eyes running over to his blue brother. Sonic groaned in disappointment as he shook his head to and fro. On the table before them, one of the Gizoids destroyed by Tikal. The other three were confiscated by G.U.N. Being the fastest thing alive, Sonic was able to pick it up in no time at all.

These humanoid robots looked like Gizoids and even acted like Gizoids, but he prayed they weren't. He prayed they were one of Eggman's Phi robots; you know, those rip off Gizoids he created. But there was no fooling Tails. Whether it be circuitry from thousands of years ago, or a few days ago, he could tell what was authentic and what was not. And this was definitely authentic.

But Sonic wouldn't accept it.

"Are you sure Tails?" he asked, "I mean, Emerl was a handful alone, this is..."

"Listen Sonic," Miles answered as he spun around, "These are real Gizoids, I can tell. When comparing him to Gemerl, who I assume is made from Emerl's body, they hold the same structure."

"Did you just hear yourself?" Sonic inquired, "You _assume_ Gemerl is made from the same structure as Emerl. What if these things are too? What if they're just some high level Phi robots?"

"Not gonna cut it, Sonic," Tails stated, "All Eggman robots have a certain chip with the doctor's insignia on it. No where on this entire robots is there a chip. Besides, I've cross analyzed these Gizoids with various other Eggman robot's, Phi bots included, and I see they have a different structure," the two tailed fox shrugged his shoulders, "Sorry Sonic, but they are _real_ Gizoids, and they are _not_ made by Eggman..."

"Then who are they made by?" the blue hero asked as he threw up his arms.

"If I could say so myself," the yellow fox said as he yawned, "I think they were made by... well... _echidnas_..." he faced the Gizoid again, "Once again, these guys are authentic, and worst of all, they _aren't_ thousands of years old. If I could say so myself..." he scanned the Gizoid again, but with a squinted eye, "This guy is a little over a hundred years old..."

"Well that's just great," Sonic growled, "Somewhere out there, some guy is creating Gizoids, and apparently, fairly recently," he shook his head, "And it's not just old Eggbutt either! Someone else is..." his eyes widened. Tails said himself that an _echidna _was creating these Gizoids. What about the echidna that attacked Tikal at Night Babylon. Other than Tikal herself and Knuckles, that's the _only_ echidna he had ever seen. Alive, that is. Could there, possibly, be more? "Tails, I gotta jet..."

"Where are you going, Sonic?" the yellow fox asked as his brother neared the door.

"I'm heading for Angel Island, make sure to call me if anything gets outta hand!"

"Wait! Sonic!"

But, as always, it was too late. The blue blur dashed out of the fox's home, making his way for Emerald Hill Zone. Tails couldn't help but to groan, while Gemerl walked up behind him. Holding a cup of coffee in his robotic hand, the Gizoid-like machine handed it to the two-tailed fox.

"Thanks Gemerl," Miles murmured, "I swear... Sonic is going to kill himself sooner or later..."

He quickly scaled Green Hill Zone, clearing it in a matter of seconds. Skidding to a complete halt however, he stood outside an aged brown hut. This was the only building in a sea of green grass, and wondrous waterfalls. Approaching it without caution, Sonic pushed the doors open. They slid open, but not without a decent flight. Inside the building was even more grass and vines, though it was what lied in the middle, which was the object of Sonic's attention.

An old biplane, red and white, it had its name on both sides. But, if one wants to be specific, it was a Polikarpov I-153, an old 1930's Soviet biplane fighter. Sonic smiled as he slid his hand along the dust laden vehicle. Smiling, he wondered how he allowed such a beautiful machine to fall into such disuse. Sure, the Tornado 2 and Cyclone were cool, but it was the original Tornado which would always hold Sonic's love.

After a quick dash around the plane, he cleaned it of dust and any vines which were growing about. He also made sure to push wide open the doors, so that the wind could rush his face. It was exhilarating. Quickly leaping into the cockpit of the Tornado, he started to flip through its various buttons. Though it had been some many years since he last drove the biplane, he quickly fell back into the old routine. Hey, it's like riding a bike. You do it once, and you never forget.

He cranked the vehicle up. The front propeller started to spin, while the burning engine on the bottom started to burn. Sonic, feeling a bit of love for the vehicle, began to rub its side.

"Oh baby," he whispered, "I'm so, so, sorry. Can't you just work, huh? For me? Me, Sonic, not Tails this time."

The jet engine burned to life. Sonic was jerked by his vehicle, while a smile grew upon his lips. Pressing his hands upon the steering wheel, he carefully guided the biplane out of its hangar. Gliding above the grassy runway, he suddenly took off for the skies. Next stop; Angel Island.

…

"Thanks for letting me stay, Amy..." the mocha-furred rabbit said, her voice holding a bit of distress, "I'm sorry if I'm being a burden..."

"Oh Cream," the pink hedgehog replied as she sat down on the couch, "You're never a burden to me!"

The young rabbit smiled cutely, something which was getting harder to do as time went on. With Vanilla still in the hospital, she was staying with Amy for the time being. Fortunately, her mother would be discharged from the infirmary in some time. But after being attacked by a man they had no chance of stopping, would she want to?

"You should get some sleep though," the hedgehog went on, "It's a late night, and you've been up all day..."

Cream glanced out of the window briefly, seeing the night sky gaze back. Amy was right; she should get some rest. It would be better than staying up and fretting all evening. She hopped off from the couch, hr pajamas swinging through the air. Cheese was already sleeping, and soon, she would join the little Chao. But as she pranced off for the hallway, a series of knocks came from Amy's door. Both the pink hedgehog and the rabbit snapped on the door together.

"I wonder who that could be..." Amy murmured as she walked off for the door.

She grabbed the doorknob but stopped herself from opening it prematurely.

"Who is it?" she asked in her usually optimistic way

"Amy?" a certain echidna's unsure voice answered, "Is that you? It's me, Tikal..."

"Tikal!?" Amy answered shocked, as she opened the door quickly.

The echidna was standing in the hallway of the apartment complex, looking a bit tired. It appeared as if she walked all day over to this building. Which, judging from how exhausted she looked, was a long walk. It made the hedgehog wonder; where does Shadow live?

Nonetheless, she quickly ushered her friend into the home. Tikal sat down quickly; closing her eyes to focus on the problems within. Before sitting down, Amy sent Cream down to her room. The hedgehog could easily tell this wasn't a talk best heard for a child.

"Tikal, what's the matter?" the hedgehog asked as she sat near the echidna, "You don't look to well..."

"It's the Starman..." she answered as she shook her head, "I mean Shadow... He's being... _secretive_."

"That sounds like Shadow..." Amy said with crossed arms, "What else is new?"

"No, no, no!" Tikal murmured, "Starman's been secretive before, yes but..." she closed her eyes, "I can't pry it out of him like before. He won't say anything or tell me anything..."

"What did you ask him?" Amy inquired.

"I just wanted to know who he was," the echidna stated, "Ever since I've seen him in this world, he's been different. He was so loose before, I could get information with ease before, but now... now that we are in _his _world, he won't tell me anything," she gazed at Amy, "I love the Starman, I really do but... Why doesn't he tell _me _things? What is he so afraid of?"

Well this was a turn for the worst. Amy didn't know what to tell the tribal echidna. Such relationship problems were out of the hedgehog's control. Sure, she talked a big game, but she didn't really know that much about relationship woes. And, this was a relationship that entailed Shadow the hedgehog. Of all the beings she knows, Shadow was the last person she figured to be in such a union. Besides, how was she, of all people, supposed to pry into the inner workings of the hedgehog's mind? She barely knew anything about him!

But she couldn't just send Tikal away. She had to help her friend. That's what friends do, after all.

"Well, Tikal..." she murmured at first, "I have an idea... why don't you go on a _date_ with Shadow?"

"A what?" Tikal asked, "A date? How am I supposed to do that? I don't think that's physically possible..." she shook her head, "I already live with the Starman, so I think it would be pointless to make a specific date..."

"No, no, no!" Amy stated as she silenced her friend, "A _date_ is something different, Tikal."

"And what might that be?" the echidna asked next.

"Well, a date is when two people go out and have dinner..." Amy took a thinking pose, "I described that wrong, uh... a date is when two people who enjoy each others company go out to have some fun, you know? Like see a movie, walk through the park, go out to eat, you know! Fun stuff!"

"Fun stuff?" Tikal repeated.

_Fun, right? We all need to relax? What do you do in Cielo Isla that constitutes as fun, huh?_

"Fun stuff..." Tikal repeated again. She then looked up to Amy, "So... how does one go on these... _dates_?"

…

Stepping into his home again, the hedgehog groaned aloud. He glanced left and right, taking in the emptiness of his home. Not even the love was there. He felt wrong sending Tikal home alone, but he needed to take that time to think. He really needed to think. It was for the best anyway, because he was now ready. Ready to answer her questions.

"Tikal!" he called into the home whilst dropping a bag of fast food onto the table, "Tikal! I'm home!"

He quickly sat on the couch, awaiting his lover's response. When it didn't come, he figured that was her being silent with him. He could understand. From the cold way he treated her, she deserved the right to act such a way. But he really wanted to talk to her; he really wanted to dispel any commotion or problems bothering his lover.

But she never came downstairs, or from the kitchen, or from any room, for that matter. Shrugging, the dark hedgehog trekked up his staircase, making way for his bedroom.

"Tikal?" he called, Tikal?"

He finally made way to their bedroom, only to find no one. She wasn't here, _again_. All the goodwill he had flew out the window, as he realized she disobeyed his orders. Didn't she realize the level of danger she placed herself in every time she left the home? It seemed not. There was only one place he know she'd go, as long as no ancient mysticism is brought into the picture. The home of a certain pink hedgehog.

Pushing the door open, the hedgehog growled as he stared through his city. After locking the door, he rushed off for Central City. Her apartment wasn't so far off, oddly enough, making the hedgehog rethink his choice of home. Nevertheless, he rushed through the halls, stopping only when he came to her door.

"Amy!" he barked as he pounded on her door, "Amy! I know she's here!"

The door opened, though there was no pink hedgehog on the other end. Instead, the person who met the dark foreboding hedgehog, was sweet innocent hare.

"Good evening Mr. Shadow," Cream said with a smile.

"Uh, Cream," he replied with a blush, feeling embarrassed about his angered demeanor, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm staying with Amy for a short while," she answered, "And it looks like you've come to talk to her..." she shuffled slowly to the side, "Do you wish to come in?"

"Thank you..." he murmured whilst stepping in, "Have you seen Tikal?"

The rabbit nodded and pointed off into the home, bringing attention to the hallway itself. Shadow nodded in thanks, before stepping off for the hallway. Ignoring Amy's excessive pink coloring, and fetish for Sonic, the dark hedgehog trekked deeper into the home. But he soon came to a lost. Amy's apartment was, surprisingly, bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. Or maybe the pink colors was playing with his eyes. Each hallway looked exactly like the last, making his mind go on a loop. He had to stop after while, just to make sure his eyes didn't melt from his skull.

"Starman?"

Oh man was her voice so heavenly right now.

"Tikal?" he answered whilst spinning around.

When his eyes fell upon her, he noticed she looked different. Gone was that cow girlish attire she had before, now replaced by a blouse and dress. Fortunately, it wasn't pink. If he saw pink again, he was going to scream. Her hair was also free of the pigtails in the back, allowing her dreads to flow naturally. If Shadow wasn't so angry, maybe he would have said she was beautiful.

Maybe...

"Tikal where were you?" he asked with a heightened sense of urgency, "Why did you leave without saying anything!?"

She couldn't help but to smile. His tone of voice showed that he was worried.

"Starman... Shadow..." she answered, "We uh... I..." she glanced over his shoulder, seeing Amy egg her own from the doorway of another room, "I wanna go on a date..."

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Girph and stuff... ugh, what an intro..._

_Anyway, I enjoyed writing this chapter. I don't know why, I just did, though I was burning out towards the ending._

_So yeah, here's the trivia and things for this chapter. Hope Kintobor appears in here, though she goes unnamed. She's the blonde human mechanic working to bring Omega to life. I dunno, something about that scene makes me laugh. Omega's just a head yet he's still ordering people around. Anyway, I'm a Hope fan, for those who don't know, and I've written two stories about her and I'm not counting Casscadian Kings. Don't worry though, this story isn't about to be filled with her, though that would kill two birds with one stone._

_Also, the original Tornado appears. Not the Tornado 2 or the Cyclone or the Tornado-1 (which is a horrible trap) no this is the classic, Genesis age, Tornado. The one flown in Sonic 2, 3, and a whole lotta other games. You know, I can't see Sonic without the Tornado, its just such a classic symbol for the series. I just wish I could see Sonic himself fly it more often, or ever, for that matter. Oh yeah, the the description of the plan comes from Sonic wiki, where I describe it as looking like a 'Polikarpov I-153'. For plane enthusiasts, I hope that puts the image in your head, then again its the classic Tornado. That should be enough._

_Sorry for not showing what's going on with Finitevus or Eggman, or Knuckles or Julie-Su, or anything, that'll come in the next chapter you guys. But allow me to wet your mouth a little. In the next chapter, we shall see how much power Dimitri has, despite the fact that he's a head._

_Don't feed the Yao gui! That is all!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	12. Yet Another Date For Miss Tikal

Yet _Another _Date for Miss Tikal

Or...

Operation: Ultimate Date

I am Enerjak.

I am Enerjak.

I am Enerjak.

I am Enerjak.

I am Enerjak.

No. No.

Something. _Someone!_

He's going to ruin it. All of it!

I must stop him.

Or else.

…

Shadow gazed into Tikal's eyes with one of confusion. A date? Did she really just say that, or was he hearing things? After rubbing the outer rim of his ear, just to make sure he was hearing things clearly, he shifted his attention back to Tikal. Her face said it all. This was no joke; she didn't need to repeat her words. And even though he wished it was a lie, he knew it to be true. And he knew he had one person to blame for this.

"AMY!" he roared.

He quickly spun around, facing the door the pink hedgehog hid behind. It was fruitless for he already knew where she was. Opening the door, he quickly grabbed the retreating hedgehog by the back of her dress. With ease he pulled her up, making her beg and plead.

"Shadow please!" she implored, "I didn't mean anything by it!"

"To bad..." he replied, "Now you suffer..."

"Starman stop!" Tikal demanded as she placed her hand on his shoulder, "I don't like seeing you get this way!" her touch on him softened, "Besides, it's not Amy's fault..."

He turned and faced her. Suddenly being under his watchful eye made the echidna fret, which also made her step away in minor fear. His vision squinted.

"You're lying, this _is _Amy's fault!" he stated, his face returning to its hardened demeanor.

Fantastic, he could read her like a book. He turned back around to exact his punishment, but Tikal quickly pulled him away. It appeared as if her body retained its superior echidna strength, because she accidentally tugged Shadow a bit _too _hard. The two crashed into one of Amy's pink furniture pieces, both free and enraging the pink hedgehog.

"Again!" she cried, "Tikal! Can't you stop blowing up my stuff!?"

The echidna got to her feet first, where she grew shocked by the sight. Peering down to her hands, she wondered how she performed such an action. Shadow merely groaned as he returned to his feet. Crossing his arms, he shot his beloved a glare, one she couldn't reciprocate.

"I'm sorry, Starman..." she murmured fearfully.

"We are going home..." he stated, as if it were the word of god. Then again, depending on who you ask, he _is_ a god.

"No Shadow!" Amy said, putting herself in between the lover's spat, "I can't let that happen!"

"You really _want_ me to destroy you, don't you?"

His threat made her wilt, but not enough to fold.

"Well no..." she murmured, "But..." she regained a strengthened stance, "I think, _we_ think, this is a good thing for your relationship."

"And I'm just supposed to take notes from you, hm?" he inquired as he crossed his arms, "The last I checked, Sonic isn't too keen on shacking up with you!"

"Stop lying!" Amy barked, "He's just taking his time, is all!"

"You keep telling yourself that..." he murmured; his arm pushing past Amy, "Let's go home where we can..."

"No Starman!" Tikal stated, drawing attention to herself, "I... really think this is a good idea. If we try out this... uh... _date_ thing, then maybe we'll be able to understand some things..." she stared into his ruby eyes, "Maybe _I'll _be able to understand somethings, about you..."

He wanted so desperately to say no. Something like a date was so alien to him. That's not to say he didn't know what a date was. He knew what they were, little evenings that occur between two people who have feelings for one another, or at least have sexual attractions toward one another. But their relationship had already progressed to a level beyond that, hadn't it? Dates were rendered useless by now, between them at least. Then why was she so keen on going on one? What was the point.

_Maybe I'll be able to understand somethings, about you..._

Was that the reason why? Did he feel _different _to her. He hated to admit it, but maybe this date was a good idea. Albeit, a woefully _painful_ one.

"Can you do this for me... please?" she asked.

He crossed his arms, as he usually did, he gazed at his lover through lidded eyes.

"Fine..." he said, shocking everyone, himself included, "We can try this... _date_..." his vision squinted, "If it'll make you happy..."

The echidna couldn't help but to hug him.

…

The blue blur yawned deeply. His green eyes were heavy, while the night sky swallowed him whole. Gazing to his left, he saw clouds and stars. Gazing to his right, he saw clouds and stars yet again. Deep below, the ocean waves were rumbling. They too were dyed a dark color, thanks to the nighttime air.

The only noise that hummed to him was the stirring propeller. He couldn't help but to tap the dashboard; this plane was always so reliable. Sure, it hadn't been used in some years, but that didn't make it any less amazing. He felt somewhat bad for the way he's been treating the vehicle. It didn't deserve its many years of disuse. It's not like he meant to do such a thing, it just sort of, _happened_.

But it wasn't good to think like that. He needed to focus. An echidna was creating Gizoids, and worst yet, an _evil_ echidna. He may not know much about echidna history, but he knows where they come form. It is kind of hard to ignore a floating island, after all. Speaking of which...

Gazing over the edge of his plane, the blue hedgehog saw the island he was searching for. The mountain top of Red Mountain spewed its usual volcanic smog, while the lakes and rivers of the island spilled over the edge endlessly. It was the perfect meaning of 'utopia' if one would ask him. It lacked many of the pollution inducing nuances that city life held. Instead, it was perfectly untouched by technology. Well, save for Carnival Night Zone, Balloon Park Zone, Chrome Gadget Zone, and of course Launch Base Zone, but most of those places went disused anyway. He dipped the plane down, preparing to land on one of Launch Base Zone's many runways. But something caught the green eyes of the blue hedgehog.

There was a being there, floating alone in the middle of the sky. The blue blur squinted to get a better look of this being. Oddest of all, the being appeared transparent, as if it weren't actually there. It was still red however, and garbed in golden plated armor. This armor gave the being a very Egyptian style and appearance. But what was it doing here? The blue blur squinted to get a better view of this individual; he was an echidna, with red fur.

This individual gazed up to him, making the hedgehog freeze up. Cupping his hands the translucent being started to charge up a green orb of power. The orb's shine was so great, it grew blinding. Before the heroic hedgehog knew it, the blast of chaotic energy was flying his way.

The Tornado exploded.

…

She didn't like the way they were looking at her. The way they were looking at him. The way they were looking at _them. _They walked down the street, hand in hand, toward the restaurant their friend so graciously handed them. But the orange echidna was having such a hard time focusing on the evening, because everyone was focusing on her.

She could hear snickers, talks, _lies_, being spread amongst the beings they passed. She was struggling to ignore it all, but it wasn't working. She couldn't force out that which she heard. And worst of all, she couldn't force out what she _saw_. Their eyes alone, it was so belittling, so demented, so _cruel_. Why did they gaze upon her like that?

No, it wasn't her they were looking upon. It was him, the Starman. They were hating him; the echidna was only hated because she was seen with him. Holding hands. And even though it was obvious to all that the hedgehog disliked holding hands, the damage was done.

"Starman..." she whispered into his ear, her hand increasing its hold on his hand, "Why are they looking at us like this?"

"Just ignore them..." he said nonchalantly, as if this were an everyday thing.

"They're saying such rude things, Starman..." she huddled closer to him for safety, "I don't like it."

"Me either..." he answered, while his red eyes peered into her green ones, "That's why I said ignore them..."

Easier said than done, of course. It was so odd. She could hear everything, _everything_. No matter how low they tried to whisper, she could hear them, as if they were saying it straight to her face. They just couldn't be forced out, no matter how hard she tried.

"Please... Starman..." she whispered, her eyes closing, "Make it stop..."

Her eyes opened. The green orbs were replaced with a burning red. She began to growl, though lowly, so only she could hear it.

"Starman..." she stated, "Make... it... _stop!_"

His hand fell upon her shoulder. Somehow, his touch calmed her down. Gazing up into his face, he saw so much safety and calm, gazing back. She steadily started to calm herself, whilst standing straight and tall again.

"Sorry..."

He didn't reply.

…

Her fingers twisted through his fur. Unconsciously, she groaned in her rest. The touch of his body was surprisingly warm. She snuggled her way closer to him, basking in the soft touch of his body, and the heat resonating from it. All of this, of course, occurred because of rest. It was when he groaned, did her eyes snap away.

She first took note of the red which his body was colored, then she took note of the close proximity of their bodies. A bit _too_ close in fact. Gazing down upon his chest, which was steadily rising and lowering, it made her pull away in shock and confusion. The magenta echidna couldn't believe it. She was snuggling with him, with the red one. She didn't mean to do it, it just happened accidentally through her rest. Had she been awake of course, she would have never moved so close to him.

What happened to lead up to this point? She closed her eyes to think about it. They were talking, he was telling her all about their people. How they existed thousands of years ago, how there were many tribes, how a dragon made of water gained power to raise the land from the earth. How their numbers steadily dwindled. That was all nice and clear, but when did they fall asleep? When did she started to straddle his body?

Not all was bad. He was sleeping, meaning he didn't even know she was there. Good, she would just separate himself from her, and get her own rest. But _fate_ had a different idea.

_BOOM!_

The sky brightened up in a brilliant flash. The magenta echidna covered her eyes to stave of the light, while her ears rumbled with the monstrous sound. Her red ally quickly pulled himself up, his purple eyes gazing left and right. Leaping to his feet, he immediately took a battling pose. Whatever came his way, he was already ready for it.

"Julie! Julie-Su!?" he yelled, "Where are you!?"

"Knuckles!" she answered, "I'm here!" the two gazed toward the sky, while the explosion eventually settled, "What was that!?"

A trail of smog traveled from the epicenter of the explosion. It fell toward the ground, covering what appeared to be a red metallic body. Knuckles wasn't sure what it was, and nor did Julie. But something, or _someone_, was falling upon the island. And that being was attacked.

"We've gotta move..." the red echidna commented as he suddenly rushed forward.

Julie didn't talk back, she merely followed.

…

For the first part of their dinner, they didn't say anything. Instead, they stared at each other. Ever time she gained the urge to speak, she would gaze into those ruby eyes. She could see the feelings within, and how he utterly detested this moment. Sure, he folded to her will and went on the date, but he never said he would enjoy it. He made this little fact known too.

It was a high-class restaurant, you know the kind. Those with oddly small morsels of food that cost an arm and a leg, yeah, that kind. Their seat was next to a window, which overlooked the shimmering moonlit bay. For this evening, the echidna's clothing had changed. She retained the blouse and skirt her friend handed her, but now as her lover noticed it, a split ran up the side. He didn't like it; people may be looking.

"So, Starman..." Tikal said as she fiddled with the fork, "That place we went too where Omega is being, uh... fixed..." she glanced up to the Starman, "That is your place of, uh, occupation, isn't it?"

"Why are you asking?" he inquired, his eyes moving into a squint.

"I'm just trying to get this date thing rolling, Starman..." she looked visibly hurt, "Can you please answer the question?"

He sighed with indifference, whilst gazing away to the sky. She didn't like the look, but she understood it. He really was out of his element.

"Yes... that is my job..." he answered with glaring eyes, "Rouge, Omega, and I work there..."

"I find it funny that you work..." she said, "I mean, you have enough power to parade around these people like the god you are, Starman."

He shook his head,.

"You can stop calling me 'Starman', Tikal. You know my name," his vision squinted, "And you don't have to call me a 'god' anymore. We don't live in Cielo Isla anymore..."

"Cielo Isla?" she repeated with a questioning tone, "What's that?"

Shadow's eyes grew wide quickly, before fading back into its usual emotionless stare. He needed to remember the words of Akna.

_She'll remember somethings, _the motherly echidna's words ran into his mind.

"Never mind, forget I mentioned it..." he stated as he waved his hand to and fro.

"You've been acting so weird ever since I showed up, Starman..." Tikal stated, "Is something wrong? You don't act the same way as I remember," her face grew a bit serious, "Like earlier today, when you... grabbed Amy..." she shook her head, trying to force the images out of her mind, "You were so forceful with her, Starman. Why is that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about..." he answered, "I'm acting the same way I always act..."

"No you aren't..." she hardened her face a bit, "Starman, I know you. I mean, yes, you have an anger issue, I won't deny that but..." she thought back on how fearful Amy's face was, "Taking your anger out on innocents was something the Starman didn't do..." he peered up at her with squinted eyes, "Something he _doesn't _do..."

"I was angry..." the hedgehog answered as he laid his head on his hand, "I let my anger get a hold of me..."

"But you shouldn't have..." she stated, "You're much more... level-headed than that!" she closed her eyes; trying to get her thoughts in order, "Starman... _Shadow_... What's so different between then and now? I feel like I don't know you..."

His vision seemed to intensify, though his eyes quickly closed. Moving his hand forward, he gripped the ice-cold cup of water given to him. He slid it in front of his line of sight, just so he could gaze at Tikal through a distorted vision. That's how he felt right now. That's how _Tikal_ felt right now. Things were distorted; they didn't recognize each other. He didn't like that.

"There's so much about you I'm learning, Shadow..." she continued, "A lot of people fear you, instead of revere you, in fact, I'd say they downright _hate _you."

She didn't like that. 'Hate' and 'Starman' should not be in the same statement.

"Maybe we should start over..."

…

Drip. He could only focus on that sound.

Drip. He wanted to move, but the pain was too great.

Drip.

"Chao! Chao!"

His green eyes opened. A painful gasp soon followed. Looking up and around, he tried to come to terms with his position. The sky was up high, while a wet plant hung overhead. The water forming on the plant stretched to the edge to drop on his face. That was the dripping, the steady drops of water from above. But what were with the calls? Something was trying to gain his attention.

The blue hedgehog forced all of his strength to standing. Hunching over, his eyes trekked along the grassy field before him. Far down was a glistening clean pond. All around the pond were the small fairy creatures known as 'Chao'. All of their eyes were locked onto the blue being before them. Or it may not have been him, but instead what lay _behind _him.

He turned around, seeing a ruined forest. Pieces of metal and scrap were littered along the grassy fields, fire was visible within the engine, fire which sent a smog flying skyward. The blue hedgehog gazed in horror upon the carnage; his mind properly taking in the sights.

"Tornado?" he called, as if there were a being before him, "Tornado!"

The plane was no more. Its many shattered pieces sat everywhere, much to the blue hedgehog's anger, regret, and sadness. The Tornado, his baby, now laid dead at his feet. He couldn't come to terms with it; this was all his fault.

But there was very little he could do about it. The hedgehog realized the crash injured his body way more than he originally believed. He could barely move; his arm wasn't moving, and his leg was extremely numb. The cast which sat on his injured arm was gone, showing bruises underneath. His leg brace was dented and shattered as well.

How he survived the crash would forever be a mystery to the blue hedgehog. The drop alone should have killed him; the crash should have made overkill. But he was a hero, after all. If he got injured after all the times he dropped down a hole, he'd be dead by now.

There was no point in crying over spilled milk. There would be another time to cry over the Tornado, now he had to grasp his knowledge on his area. Turning around, he began to struggle toward the Chao Pond. With every limp, Chao moved away from him, somewhat like a magnet. The blue hedgehog collapsed on the pond's outer rim, his knees just barely scraping its surface. He gazed down upon his reflection in the clear waters, giving a purposeful face of disdain.

"Boy Sonic," he bemoaned, "You don't look so good..."

He moved his hands down in a cupped fashion, just so he could get a taste of water. But before his fingers could break the surface, the water _moved _away. Sonic raised an eyebrow at the sight, only to dive his hands back in. He caused the same events to play out however; the clear pond moved away, as if refusing to be touched. Sonic eventually brought his vision up, just to see why. He found green orbs staring back.

Gasping, he watched as the water took an almost reptilian like form. Standing on two feet, this aquatic being began to walk upon the pond toward the blue being. Sonic felt fear swell within him; in his current position, there was no way he'd be able to fight off this being. He couldn't even spin into a ball. The aquatic monster stepped closer and closer, only stopping when he and Sonic were a few inches away from one another. Slowly, it rose one of its limbs. That limb began to descend upon the blue hero.

Sonic wilted back, preparing to watch his life flash before his life. Would the water god drown him? Crush his skull? Would death be fast or slow?

Actually, it was none of it. The water god instead touched his injured arm, making the hedgehog groan in pain. But after a while, the pain began to soothe. Sonic opened his eyes, seeing a shimmering ball of water surround his limb.

"Chaos?" he whispered, "What are you doing?"

The ancient echidna god gazed up to the blue individual. Sonic immediately felt stupid; Chaos can't talk. Besides, he already knew what Chaos was doing. The aquatic being was healing him. The pain in his arm; the broken bone, the torn muscles, all of it was healed. As good as new, Sonic would argue. Chaos shifted his attention down to the blue blurs leg next. Just like the arm, he relieved the worn ligament of all its injuries. Sonic found himself standing, as if he had never hurt himself.

The blue blur couldn't help but to smile. But when gazing into Chaos' face, he felt melancholic. Sure, Chaos lacked a face to show his emotions, but that's not to say he didn't feel them. He felt happiness and sadness, and right now, he was definitely sad. But why? Sonic didn't know why, but he knew the reason of Chaos' despair.

"Tikal..." he murmured, "You're looking for Tikal, aren't you?"

The water god nodded.

…

"Once again... I have cleaned Finitevus mess..." the head gazed to the top of his jar, "Only to remain trapped here in this damned jar!"

His amazing strength made the aquatic base shake, showing just how greatly enraged he was. He would have shaken it a bit more, but that would only cause more destruction. He settled down after a few moments, realizing it was pointless to continue raging. Maybe he could use his omnipotence to spy on people; that was always fun. It was truly sad to see the once Imperator fall to such a level. But hey, spying on people was better than loosing his mind, though that may have already happened.

The metal door opened up. The Imperator turned around, to face the entryway. He fully expected to see a certain albino echidna, but he instead saw an egg-shaped man. This man walked into the base with his hands behind his back, marveling at the magnificent amount of detail and technology.

"Amazing..." he said, "You have surprised me, Finitevus. We should really compare notes some time..."

"Yes, yes, Robotnik," the albino echidna commented as he walked forward.

"But what, or _who_, is this?" Robotnik inquired as he gazed toward a specific head.

"Oh, his name is Dimitri..." Finitevus answered, "He is the A.I. that runs my base."

"A.I.!?" Dimitri roared, "I shall not be placed down to the save level as some 'artificial intelligence'! I am Imperator Dimitri! The very same that held Enerjak within his body, and continues to hold his magnificent power!" the base started to shake, "Finitevus! Who is this man who you have bought to the base!"

"Calm down, Dimitri," Finitevus ordered, "The Eggman Empire and the Dark Legionnaire have created a... union, if you will..."

"Without my consent!?" Dimitri roared, "Do you not understand the power I hold, Finitevus!? I have more power than anyone in this world, yet you treat me as nothing more than paper weight!" he caused the base to shake, "Finitevus!"

"He has quite a temper..." Robotnik commented, while Finitevus stepped forward.

"It was a split second decision," he stated, "I had no choice but to make it..."

Dimitri calmed down long enough to see Finitevus lacking an arm. The sight of it made the head smile.

"Oh, I see," he chuckled, "You... It was either _death _or you saving our own skin..."

He couldn't help but to chuckle, while Finitevus shook his head in disdain. Eggman, on the other hand, smiled. This echidna truly was the real deal. Meaning, in no time at all, he would have an army of unstoppable Gizoids! An army which would learn their foes, and kill them with ease. The Eggman Empire would rise!

_After_ he dealt with these fools, of course. Just learn their schematics, copy them, then kill them. Easy-peasy, limon-squeezy.

"Great, great, Finitevus," Eggman stated, "You have a head with anger problems. Can you please show me the Gizoid factory you speak so highly of?"

"Of course, of course," Finitevus stated, "Just continue following me."

Finitevus started walking off for another door behind Dimitri's machine, but he lingered behind shortly. With a brief glance to Dimitri, he gave the head a brief message with his eyes.

_Kill him. _Foolish Finitevus; as if he needed to say it. With his magnificent powers, he could drop the portly doctor in an instant. Just a bit of focusing, and boom, no more head.

But the door opened yet again. Gazing forward, there was a metallic blue demon staring at him. Metal Sonic was watching him; he would not allow his creator to fall so easily.

Maybe things wouldn't be so easy.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_I swear, I sometimes think I'm boring you guys with this stuff, but anyway._

_First off, thank ultimateCCC for the title name. Well, one of them. You see, in Shadows from Before, I started giving chapters two names, occasionally. This is no different. The first name is a call back to the last chapter of Tribal Dance, while the second name comes from ultimateCCC's review of the earlier chapter. With these two titles in mind, the story was planning on being very comedic, but it just didn't happen, as you can tell._

_This chapter took a unique turn. As I said before, I started it thinking this was going to be all comedic and hilarious, but in the end, it ended up being more dramatic. Shadow and Tikal are having issues, Sonic was blown down by Dimitri, Knuckles and Julie-Su are not only getting closer to one another, they are getting closer to Chaos as well, and Dr. Robotnik and Dr. Finitevus are already scheming to overthrow each other. What anarchy! How will this story continue? Wait until next time._

_There really isn't trivia I can give, but I can put in my two cents. You see, ever since I wrote Shadows of Maria, I kind of staved off on writing sequels. I love my Shadows of series, but the sequel left a bad taste in my mouth. I felt as if Shadows of Maria could have been so much better, and as such, I was scared of writing yet another sequel. I didn't want to ruin any of my stories. I am happy I started writing this, however. This feels like a much better sequel, in my eyes. What do you guys think? So far so good, right?_

_Anyway, next chapter, Dimitri puts his Enerjak powers to work, Sonic cries over the Tornado some more, the echidna's quest for Chaos comes to a close (probably), and I answer one big question. Who asked the question?_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	13. Anarchy

Anarchy

The machinery churned before his sight. Piece by piece, the metallic warriors of old were put together. Arms, heads, legs, all were put together like a demented puzzle. His blue eyes watched the factory work, all from beneath his circular rimmed glasses. He would be lying if he said it didn't look familiar. To him, a robot factory was just another sight. But a robot factory of this caliber was something else entirely. Gizoids, as far as the eye can see. With this many machines, the world would be at their knees. The thought of it alone made the egg-shaped doctor giddy with excitement.

He would just have to contend with the creator himself. The albino echidna which currently stood beside him. The golden-eyed mobian stared up to the doctor, before trekking off for a box-like structure. Reaching into it, he withdrew one of the robotic limbs within. A Gizoid arm. He lifted the arm and angled its joint socket toward the area where his arm was once at. To the egg-shaped doctor's surprise, wires sprouted from the echidna's arm to connect to this arm. He connected the limbs with ease, giving him yet a new arm. A Gizoid one.

"Well now..." the echidna stated, his golden eyes moving to his "ally's" frame, "Shall we get a move on, Robotnik?"

"Indeed, Finitevus..." Eggman answered.

The two walked deeper into the Gizoid factory, where Finitevus began to elate Eggman with various tales of his creations. How he spent hours, meticulously crafting them to be the greatest. How only a select few gained the amazing ability to copy their opponent's moves. Indeed, the creation of the Gizoids was a great turning point in history. They were, after all, the world's _first _weapon of mass destruction.

Within this factory, thousands upon thousands of Gizoids were crafted. Most of which were simple drones; throwaway soldiers without minds, only the need to kill. But a select few were the Gizoids of legend. The kind that could learn, that could change themselves, should the need arise. Emerl was a handful alone, but ten, twenty, forty, sixty, _one hundred_ Emerls, would be apocalyptic.

"Why have you not taken the world yet?" Robotnik inquired as he eyed one of the many Gizoids.

"World domination, Ivo?" Finitevus answered with a chuckle, "Oh, no, no, you think too _small _Robotnik!" the echidna's words brought the doctor's eyes over to him, "I am not looking for world domination, no, no, my plans are... _different_..." he shook his finger, "My plans require _your _help, after all."

Yes, _my_ help. Robotnik couldn't help but to run that thought through his head. The foolish echidna had no idea the destruction awaiting him. Or, perhaps, it was Eggman himself who had no idea what destruction awaited him.

Dimitri's eyes never wavered from Metal Sonic's body, and the blue demon likewise. They peered infinitely toward one another; their eyes analyzing the foe before them. So far, nothing had happened. The Doctors were to busy speaking, after all; with no order to kill, there was no _need_ to kill. But Dimitri awaited no orders. Finitevus wanted Eggman dead, Dimitri himself wanted Eggman dead.

He closed his eyes, the Imperator did. Through a minute tremor of power, he vanished from his body. Metal Sonic looked up, for he sensed the disturbance. He neglected to act on his instincts, however, believing it was an error with his scanners. But it was no mere error.

Using the godly power he had attained from Enerjak, Dimitri was able to leave his body. He trekked silently through the underwater base, floating through the individual walls with ease. Moving down a mile or two, he made way toward the Gizoid factory. He quickly fazed through the wall, seeing a mass array of bodies he could overshadow. There was one, far at the back, untouched by the others. Dimitri surrounded the body at first, before diving in full force.

He would need to kill the doctor quickly; there was no telling how long a Gizoid body could hold his massive power.

The Gizoid's eyes turned red.

…

He couldn't help but to grow angry, as he stepped into his empty home. Gazing up and down, he wondered how things got so out of hand. He could have sworn he was doing everything right. As right as he figured, it seems. To bad his assumptions were wrong.

Closing the door behind him, he entered his home alone. Omega would be operational a few days from now, which was good. He wouldn't be alone for long. But for now, he would have to waste time in another way.

Lifting one of the many books he past, he opened it to the first page. Despite the many books he owned, he had actually read little over thirty of them. He rarely got the time to read every single last one. It was a pleasantry he was often denied, thanks to his occupation. Oh well, he could only pray this book was enough to take his mind off things.

_Pathos: A Journey Into Emotions_

Needless to say, it wasn't working. He threw the book away, instead finding solace in the darkness of his ceiling. There were many things he could have done. He could have watched TV, that would have taken his mind off things. But he didn't. He could have done some meaningless paper work, sure it would have been boring, but it too would have taken his mind off things. Once again however, he didn't. Though he wanted to detach himself from the world, just long enough to get his bearings on things, he couldn't tear his mind away from her words. _Tikal's _words.

But most of all, he couldn't believe what he said back.

_Maybe we should start over..._

Why did he say that? Things were perfect the way they were. Sure, Tikal was just beginning to understand somethings, but she was only adjusting to this new world. He should have taken her back home, and told her everything at his own pace. At the _perfect _pace. But instead, he said that. He replayed the memory over and over again, watching himself say those words. Somewhat like an out-of-body experience. He knew not why he said such a thing, but he did. He wasn't controlling himself.

Wait. Why was the light on in his kitchen?

Jutting up, he scanned the doorway with his ruby eyes. When he left earlier that evening, the kitchen light was off. Someone else was in his home. The black and red hedgehog slowly got to his feet; his ruby eyes glaring holes into the light. If some thief was in his home, he or she would soon regret it.

The hedgehog readied his hand, tightening it into a daunting fist. He stalked the doorway, whilst pulling his fist back. He watched a curvaceous shade move closer to the kitchen's entry. He squinted at the sight of it; the audacity of this person. Finally, a shaded being appeared fully before him. With the light behind this home invader, the hedgehog couldn't see who or what it was. It didn't matter, he would end it all the same.

He threw his awaiting punch, cutting through the air with ease. At the speeds his fist was going, there was little to no reaction time for his victim. This victim caught his fist.

"Wow, Shadow," her seductive voice rang, "That's a pretty cruel way to treat your friend."

"Rouge!?" the hedgehog responded with a gasp.

One of her teal colored eye closed shut, while her face grew into one of disdain.

"A little tense are we today?" she stated like a question, while her hand moved his hand away.

"What are you doing here, Rouge?" he asked, finding her appearance to be sudden, and unneeded.

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked as she turned on the lights.

Her clothing was different, not as spy-like as usual. More casual, more everyday. Simply normal, to explain it. And Shadow didn't like it. Seeing Rouge in normal clothing, one that wasn't either her body suit or G.U.N. uniform was just odd.

She trekked seductively toward his couch, sitting upon it promptly, while her dainty hands reached for the remote. Shadow, still perplexed by everything, stared long and hard at the bat sitting before him.

"Am I in Robotnik's machine again?" he asked of her, "I swear..."

"No, Shadow," Rouge said as she crossed her arms, "This is reality..."

"Then why are you here?" he asked, his voice gaining a few octaves.

"Calm down, Shadow..." the bat murmured, "Or should I call you Starman?"

"Not... Now!" he growled.

"Okay, okay," he watched her hand fold away into her clothing. When it returned, she held a silver ring in her hand, "This is your new Inhibitor Ring. You should be lucky it's fixed, Hope spent all night crafting it," she tossed it to him, "I swear, I think that girl has a crush on you."

Shadow caught his new Inhibitor Ring with ease. Holding it in his hand, he felt a certain kind of weight that only these rings could deliver him. He tossed it up and down a few times, before placing it near his wrist. With a 'CLICK!' it slid on. His body shivered from the band, making him groan. It felt _good_. With this, he no longer feared using his Chaos Powers. Sure, it'll take some time before he's fully recharged, but at least he'll be 100% soon. He could already feel his body return to its former strength.

"I recommend you keep your powers in check, Shadow dear," the bat commented whilst getting comfortable on his couch, "We don't want you running out of power, now do we?"

"Thanks Rouge..." he murmured as he checked his Inhibitor Ring, "I feel as good as new again..." his vision returned to its same glare, "You know you can leave now, right?"

But the bat shook her head; her face gaining one of her trademark sexy glares. Of course, they had a different result on Shadow in comparison to other men. To him, it meant she knew something, and he'd have to pry to get it out.

"Great..." he commented as he sat down on a chair near her, "What is it this time, Rouge?"

"You wouldn't believe what I saw," she stated, "A certain hedgehog and echidna having quite an argument."

"You were spying on us!?" Shadow barked, his body quickly leaping to its toes.

"Not really, more like..." she pondered for a moment, "_Eavesdropping_."

"They're the same thing!" he pressed.

"Oh Shadow," the bat giggled, "I didn't mean to _eavesdrop_, I was actually sizing up some old coot in a booth next to you," she yawned, "He had a famous old diamond that I really, _really_, wanted," she looked at him through a half closed eye, "I ended up hearing everything you two _lovers_ had to say. Boy, I can't believe your words," she gazed off and began to twiddle her fingers, "What were they? Oh yes! Maybe we should start over!" she gazed over to him, seeing a face of rage and malice. Yet, she never faltered, "For a change, Shadow the hedgehog is speaking _sense_."

"Get... out..." he ordered.

"You know, ever since that outburst of yours back at your office, I spent a good amount of time trying to figure out... _why?_" she intensified the glare she had on him, "Why did Shadow react so rabidly when I brought up the Starman? Now it makes sense," she leaned back, "Because Shadow _is _the Starman," her wings folded in, helping her get more comfortable, "At first, I just thought the echidna girl was a bit off in the head. Which, honestly, I still think is true," she shook her head, "But I decided to search deeper into her claim. Is Shadow the hedgehog actually a god from the past?"

"Rouge... stop..." he ordered.

"I dug a little through history," the bat continued, "Eventually coming to this..." she revealed a busted golden ring; _his _busted golden ring, "Care to tell me how _this _little trinket ended up on Angel Island?"

He snatched it quickly, much to the bat's ire. She didn't fight back, however. He marveled at the dented and busted ring, finding it odd how he left it there thousands of years ago. Well, he left it with Tikal, of course. And it seems he left it at the Temple of the Starman, where his teammate procured it. He should have seen that coming actually. She was always on that island.

"The time jet took you thousands of years into the past, where you wooed an ancient echidna girl but had to leave her because she is the angel from the great myth of Chaos..." she rolled her eyes, "I can't believe the Starman and Shadow are one in the same, though I should have seen it coming..." she looked at him, "How did it happen, exactly?"

"I. Hate. You." he bemoaned, making her giggle.

"Oh Shadow..." she wagged her finger, "All I want to know, is how did you bring Tikal back?"

"It's... none of your business..." he murmured; his arms crossing.

"Quite a roundabout little way, huh? You spend all this time trying to bring Tikal back, only to say you two need to start over again. Why didn't you just leave her in the rock, huh?"

"Don't say that..." he _pleaded_, albeit in his own nonchalant way, "I couldn't have left her trapped there..." he closed his eyes, "It would have been wrong of me..."

"Still trying to be a hero..." Rouge yawned as she stood up, "So be it. Come morning time, we are going to make all of this right, Shadow the hedgehog," she started up for his bedroom, "Now, you have an extra room right? I mean, it's not like Omega uses it..."

Her voice trailed off, her frame disappeared up the staircase. Shadow strayed behind, his mind thinking about a certain echidna he had come to love. Somehow, her image morphed into Rouge's, and not in a good way, in a very negative way. It didn't take him long to get angry.

"Why are you still in my home!?" he barked out.

"Cause I wanna!" she answered.

…

The blue demon's silver arms slammed the orange being into the wall. The air flashed red, as water poured upon his body, and his foe's body. The red eyes belonging to his foe suddenly turned a bright green, making the blue machine pull back in confusion. Those eyes suddenly fired a beam of pure energy, which slammed into his enemy's body. The faux hedgehog was pushed back, eventually crashing into a high-powered machine. That's not to say he was defeated, however. Falling from the dent, he stared over to his foe.

Metal Sonic stepped forward, his body shimmering thanks to rushing water upon his body. Away from him, Dimitri stood, using the body of a Gizoid. Their battlefield was worn down and crumbling; metal was split in various directions, holes were spewing water, and the alarm was making this known to all. As if they cared. Even if the base fell upon them, they'd be perfectly sound. Free to carry on their battle, as much as they seek.

"Foolish robot..." Dimitri stated, "Do you not understand the force you face!? I am Imperator Dimitri! Enerjak incarnated! You cannot hope to defeat me!"

As if Metal Sonic cared. He could have been Solaris himself for all Metal Sonic cared, all he wanted his destruction. The blue demon's thrusters were set aflame, causing him to dash forward at amazing speeds. Arms out, he slammed his body into Dimitri's body, crashing into the wall with their gained inertia. The explosive tackle created a dent in the walls, wearing down the layers which separated them from the ocean. Using his godly strength, Dimitri tore Metal Sonic's hold from his body. He twirled the robotic enemy around, throwing him into another wall. The Imperator couldn't help but to chuckle, only to find his body wasn't responded.

In an instant, the Gizoid he used to hold his godly soul faded into dust.

"Dammit!" Dimitri groaned, "These bodies! They can't hold me for long!"

He quickly found another Gizoid to use, one which unfortunately lacked an arm. No matter; he was Enerjak after all. Metal Sonic flew up, his eyes focusing on the possessed Gizoid. The cavity in his chest glowing blue, the faux hedgehog suddenly fired a beam of energy toward his enemy. Dimitri, using the arm this Gizoid had, countered with a green beam of chaotic origins.

Metal Sonic tried to overpower Dimitri, by forcing even more strength into his beam. It didn't work; the Imperator's power was much to great. His green beam increased in levels, forcing back Metal Sonic. It didn't take long, before Dimitri's beam swallowed the blue demon whole. Even though the Imperator's beam was strong enough to level a city if need be, the echidna exercised enough restraint to stop himself from destroying the room they battled in.

He quickly dashed to Metal Sonic and used his one good hand to slam a fist into his face. Over and over again, he pounded the blue demon with a flurry of punches, all while laughing maniacally, of course.

"Have you given up yet!? Have you!? Fool!" the Imperator roared.

Suddenly, one of his fists were blocked by Metal Sonic. Pulling back in shock, Dimitri watched as the blue demon pulled up.

"Data has been copied!" Metal Sonic announced.

Metal Sonic's chest began to shine yet again, but not the blue color it was known for. Instead, the hole in his chest shined a magnificent green. Dimitri pulled back, right as the faux hedgehog fired a green beam of chaotic energies. The Imperator was knocked up and away, eventually crashing into high-end technology. He attempted to get to his feet, only to see that the blast removed him of his legs.

"I see..." he said, quite calmly, "I guess there is more to you than meets the eye..." he peered up, seeing Metal Sonic walk dauntingly toward him, "No matter... You fail to see the power that I! Dimitri! Holds within!"

He removed himself from the Gizoid's body, reducing it to ash. Instead, his soul took the form of a ghastly echidna. The celestial being cupped his hands, forming a green sphere of power. Pulling it back, he tossed the powerful blast toward his foe. Metal Sonic, caught off guard by the attack, merely watched as it exploded into his face.

The entire aquatic base shook from the detonation. Though the discharge had not yet settled, Dimitri took the time to gloat. He laughed dementedly to himself, before his body started to stretch and bend. To Dimitri's ire, his soul was brought back into the head he had been reduced to. First breathing in and out, his optics opened to see a gun aiming at him.

Before the trigger could be pulled, the holder of the weapon was knocked down in a tackle.

"Not so fast, Ivo," Finitevus said, a smile on his robotic muzzle, "I thought we were having fun! You know! Making a plan to take over the world!"

"I should have never trusted you!" Eggman remarked, as he got to his feet, "That head is no mere A.I.!" surprisingly, the egg-shaped doctor gained a smile, "What is he, huh? A genetic experiment?"

"Me!?" Dimitri exclaimed, astonished, "A mere experiment! Kill him Finitevus! I shall not even stain my powers with his blood!"

The base shook, but not because of the Imperator's power.

"I believe there is a blue machine you need to deal with, Dimitri..." Finitevus stated, "You go ahead, I shall deal with Ivo..."

"So be it..." the echidna head mumbled.

His optics closed, and once again, his soul exited his body. This left Finitevus and Dr. Robotnik alone.

"I see," Eggman stated with a smile, despite his position, "So. That little head, it's utterly defenseless when it leaves its body like that! Impressive! What did you do to create him, if you don't mind my asking."

"There's no point anymore Ivo," Finitevus claimed, his hand charging a ball of energy, "Your death is only a few short seconds away."

"Then grant a dead man his final wish," Eggman said as he crawled away, "What is the head?"

"A _god_."

Finitevus' attack went off, right in Eggman's face. The bright yellow flash surrounded the doctor's head whole, making his entire body rumble with pain. But when the light show died out, it was not flesh and blood he saw. Instead, it was machinery of all things. This wasn't Doctor Robotnik, this was a clone.

"Now how the hell did I not see that one coming?" Finitevus asked of himself in a stupefied manner, "Seriously. It never showed up on my scanners..."

Dimitri's head suddenly lightened up, showing the echidna had returned to his body.

"The fake hedgehog left, Finitevus," he relayed, "The sound we heard was of him busting through the wall," he glanced over to the fake Eggman, "So the human was a robot. I'm not entirely surprised."

"He wasn't a robot," Finitevus responded, "Well, he was. This wasn't the real Eggman..." he shook his head, "He tricked us..."

"No matter..." Dimitri claimed, "He, that is the real Eggman, now knows not to mess with us. He will continue hiding like the coward he is."

"No..." the albino echidna retorted, "He'll be back. He knows where our base is. I'm sure he's creating a plan right now," the overzealous doctor couldn't help but to punch the wall, "It was a planned from the beginning! He already knew I was planning on killing him!" he rubbed his chin, "A smart fellow, I underestimated his genius."

"No... you underestimated his _cowardice._.." Dimitri claimed, "Never mind. Gizoid Factor _17 _is destroyed. There's no disputing this fact."

"Oh well..." Finitevus answered as he sat down in his chair, "Can't win them all..." he started tapping on the command console before him, "Let's check up on our darling Julie-Su..."

…

Gazing up over the foliage, he could see the dark plume of smog. It trekked eternally into the sky, ruining the blue and white color scheme. Seeing it was enough to anger the echidna; whoever the culprit was, would soon be in a world of hurt. His shaking fist was enough to tell the world that. He was only a short distance away.

"Knuckles..." the magenta echidna behind him called, "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" he asked back in a snappy manner, "I swear, Julie! Whoever dirtied my island is about to suffer for it!"

"Not _your _island," she answered, "Our island. My people once lived her too, ya'know..."

"Yeah, yeah..."

He pushed apart the trees and the bushes, revealing a wondrous plateau ruined only by a shimmering pond. Oh, and the ruins of a biplane, of course. Julie was mesmerized by the sight, while Knuckles was apprehensive. The red echidna had seen this biplane before; it was quite hard to forget, after all. Besides, the owner's name was written on various metal strips.

"Sonic?" he asked of himself as he picked up one of the biplane's pieces.

"Who now?" Julie-Su inquired, stopping as Chao surrounded her.

"Sonic," Knuckles repeated, drawing attention to the scrap in his hand, "This is Sonic's plane. The Tornado..." he looked toward the epicenter of the crash, "What happened to him to cause this?"

"You didn't answer my question," Julie pressed, "Who is Sonic?"

"He's some fast idiot," Knuckles exclaimed as he waved his hand around, "He also happens to save the world on a regular basis..."

"Oh..." the magenta echidna answered, her arms finding her waist, "One would think you'd lead with the first part..." she shifted her attention to the pond, "Well, we've been running all day, let's calm down and get some water..."

"Fine..." Knuckles answer nonchalantly, "I'm going to look around for Sonic a bit..."

Shrugging her shoulders, Julie walked off to quench her thirst. The many Chao she passed on her way to the pond were wonderful. They pranced around her, trying their hardest to read her emotions with their mystical powers. Some were even trying to evolve in an appearance similar to hers. Julie found their efforts and antics to be overwhelmingly cute. They're Chao, who _doesn't _find them cute? Soulless people, that's who.

But kneeling over the ponds edge, she focused on one thing. Her image in the reflection seemed a bit haggard. This venture along Angel Island was more time-consuming than she thought; her face looked horrible. Then again, the magenta echidna was also tired. She and Knuckles did run all night, after all. A sip of water should do the body well.

She cupped her hands. Moved them forward. Then broke the pond's surface with her fingers. Pulling back a pint of water, she drank the clear substance quickly. It sure did hit the spot.

"Chaos isn't here..." Julie murmured whilst getting to her toes, "We should get a move on..."

Knuckles heard her call, but it didn't stop him from pushing over the metal piece he stood before. There was nothing under it, though that didn't make the piece any less important. Around the edges, it was burned. Not as if fire had singed it, however. Something attacked the Tornado, something _chaotic_.

"Knuckles!?" Julie called, gaining his attention, "Did you hear me?"

"Yeah, yeah," he said, analyzing the scrap piece, "Chaos... isn't here..." he continued scanning the metal, "Who attacked you, Sonic? Who?"

He brought his nose close to the burning edge and sniffed it. The moment he did so, he pulled back in disgust. Yup, something extremely powerful attacked the blue blur. And its ties to the Chaos Force was insurmountable.

Thanks to the lack of answers, he tossed the piece of scrap on the ground. Getting back onto his feet, he gazed longingly toward the sky. Something about all of this was wrong, very wrong. He didn't like the taste the world was giving him this moment.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_You know that point in time when you really wanna sleep, but you gotta write? Yeah, I'm there right now._

_Anyway, this chapter. I wrote a fight scene in it, because I can't really remember the last fight we had. No, wait, it was three chapters ago, chapter ten had a battle. How do you feel about the fights? Do I put to much in, or are they at a perfect balance?_

_Seriously though, let me talk about this chapter. First of all, no, Rouge is not going to try and seduce Shadow. This is a Shadikal fic, I will not suddenly change that. Maybe, I dunno, my writing can get insane. Seriously though, I wrote Rouge as more of a doting, nosy sister, than a conniving man stealer. If I could explain it best, she's like the super hot older sister, to Shadows socially awkward younger brother. Ugh, now I'm weirding myself out for some reason. Rouge is just trying to help Shadow out. And drive him up a wall, because that's what friends do._

_Also, Shadow was the one who asked the question, if you didn't get that bit. _

_A bit of trivia, in Shadow's bit, he mentions being trapped in Eggman's machine. That's when Rouge walks out from his kitchen and to his couch. That's a reference to my other story, Perchance to Dream, for those who don't know. No, these stories are not connected._

_Also, we learn more about Dimitri's powers. Even though he's a head, he can leave his body to overshadow other people, much like a ghost. Unfortunately, this has some problems. You see, Dimitri's powerful soul destroys the bodies he takes control of, if they are too weak. He did it to his own body in Tribal Dance, and he did it to multiple Gizoids in this chapter. That's why he's still a head, and hasn't gotten a new body yet. Also, Dimitri's head is completely unguarded when he overshadows other people, giving him a super weakness. If the head is destroyed, he dies._

_And Dr. Robotnik tricked Finitevus. When I write the good doctor, I always make him a man of back-up plans. This is no different. You really think Eggman was going to go underwater? Heck no, not until he knows what he's up against. That was an Eggman clone in this chapter, the real Eggman is now thinking up a plan. What kind of plan? Wait and see!_

_Oh yeah, Finitevus and Dimitri have an estimated 17 (now 16) Gizoid factories. That's a lot. But they were here for four thousand years, what did you think they were doing? Sitting around? They may also have more, so that's something._

_Well, I had fun writing this! Next time. Stuff happens! Worst next episode description ever!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	14. Blue Fields

Blue Fields

The misty afternoon equaled the way her heart felt. Depressed, dark, opaque, hard to see her emotions. No, it wasn't hard to see how she was feeling. Sad, regretful, minute traces of anger. She didn't want to feel this way, but she was feeling this way. There was no beating around the bush with this. It were as if her entire world had frozen solid. She just stared out the window, longing for _his_ companionship, but being denied that companionship.

When the water began to fall, it jolted her. Droplet by droplet of rain water pelted the window. She moved for the first time in a while; her fingers sliding forward to touch the glass. It was cold, sending shivers up her spine. She brought her fingers back a few moments later, finding disappointment for some reason. Sitting back down in her chair, she breathed in and out heavily.

Honestly, she felt a bit selfish. As if _she _brought this outcome upon herself. Was it wrong to think this way? It was his words which created this rift between them. Though it was her actions which brought his retaliation. They were both at fault, though she felt it was more so on her end than his.

It didn't matter. She was alone, for the time being. Oh what she would give to see him again, to be with him again. To take back her words and actions, to make things right again. She wanted to understand, understand what this world was, and why he was so different in it. But she just couldn't understand. She hated not understanding.

The pink hedgehog behind her watched in despair, at the sullen state of her friend. She didn't have much to say; there wasn't much after all. She acted like the typical love doctor, when in reality such a problem was alien to her. There were a lot of things alien to her. But she knew when a friend was in need, there was no denying this. And her friend was definitely in need.

"T-Tikal?" Amy whispered, trying her hardest to brighten her friend's spirits.

The hedgehog couldn't believe this was her first words to her, even after the entire night. The echidna just walked in, her face a dull expression of lost, and collapsed onto the couch. She didn't say anything or do anything, for the tears on her face told all. It took Amy quite some time to pry the information from her friend. But now, as morning rolled around, the echidna had gained a very unsocial nature. She just stared out the window for seemingly no reason at all.

"Tikal, are you okay?" the hedgehog asked, her hand falling tenderly upon the echidna's shoulder.

"I'm... fine Amy..." she answered, her crestfallen tone most blatant.

"No you aren't," Amy said, her face growing red and frustrated, "Oh! I can't believe that hedgehog! How dare he say such words!? Doesn't he know a good thing when it looks him dead in the face!?"

"Please Amy, stop..." Tikal pleaded in a low voice.

"Can you believe him!?" she continued ranting, "One would think he'd hold onto you with as much strength as he could! But once again, he's pushing you away!" her face turned even redder, "What is his problem!? Does he want to be alone for the rest of his life!?"

"AMY!" the echidna's bark stopped the hedgehog dead in her tracks, "Please stop..." she closed her eyes, "The Starman didn't mean it like that..." she shifted her attention back to the window, "His words they... make some sense..." kneeling over, she propped her cheek up on her fist, "Maybe we _should_ start over..."

Though it was obvious to all parties involve that _neither_ liked this situation, it was the most logical course of action. Tikal just didn't know Shadow as well as she thought she did, or maybe it was something else. She was conflicted. Part of her was happy this happened; she could relearn the Starman and see him in a different light, one that loved him instead of revered him. The other part was angry and disheartened; he was already hers, she didn't need to push the subject any further. But she did, and now look at her. Broken down, and like a mess. It was deplorable.

She sat back, and placed her hand upon her head. Amy stepped away herself, feeling heavy in the heart. Though she didn't like seeing Tikal in such a position, she knew it was something the echidna would have to deal with herself. Maybe this was for the best; the hedgehog did have a house to clean anyway.

While Amy walked away, Tikal scooted closer to the window. Being so high up in Amy's apartment, she could see the city streets below with ease. Even though it were raining, and the fog was very thick, there were still people walking about. The echidna found this to be so odd. Where she comes from, such weather was signs of an omen. Her people would stay indoors, opting to wait for a clearer day. Thinking about this made her mind start to churn. Who _were_ her people?

Opening those forest green eyes of hers, she once gazed down to the sidewalk. The pavement was devoid of any life for the time being; maybe the atmosphere did have people staying in. Around the corner however, she saw a certain individual. A voluptuous white-furred bat. Tikal grew surprised by this bat's appearance, while she swayed her hips suggestively. The echidna watched the bat stop at the sidewalks corner, to turn and face someone who only she could see. Wagging her finger, she told this person to hurry up his or her movements. She continued walking off again.

Then he appeared, right at the corner's edge. Holding a black umbrella in hand, the demonic looking hedgehog retained his usual indifferent nature. Nonetheless, he followed the white bat before him. She seemed to have some power over him, a power he obviously did not enjoy. His displeasure was visible upon his face. But he continued to follow the bat, and without a moment's hesitation. Something about that struck a chord in Tikal's mind, a _negative _chord actually. And there was something else wrong with the black and red hedgehog. He wasn't _leaking _anymore.

Tikal definitely did not like that. Her eyes turned red, her breathing started to shorten, and she stood up tall from her chair. Fingers on the window seal, she began to squeeze as hard as she physically could. All of this pent-up rage and aggression trickled down her body, and to her fingertips. For some reason, she snapped out of it, her red eyes turning green once again. The damage had been done, however.

Tikal peered down to the window seal. Burned and singed markings now lay on the seal for seemingly no reason. She lifted her hands soon after, seeing green energy resonate from them. They faded away a moment later, leaving her hands normal once again. For now, anyway. She couldn't help but to train her eyes on the sight however, her mind racing with fearful thoughts.

Did she really do that?

Tikal brushed off the singe marks she created, as best she could. She didn't want anyone to know what she had done. Things were bad enough; people were already distrustful as well, she didn't want to give anyone anymore reasons to be suspicious of her.

There were knocks at the door a few moments later, bringing the echidna's eyes over to it. She wasn't sure if Amy was expecting any company, so it was odd to hear knocking. The pink hedgehog wasn't around, so she couldn't answer the noise. Whoever was on the other side knocked harder and harder, showing signs of annoyance. Tikal, after brushing dust from her clothing, began to inch her way closer to the doorway.

"H-Hullo?" she called out, her demeanor shy and isolated.

"Hmmm…" she heard on the other end, much to her surprise. It was sultry and sexy, meaning it could only be one person, "Tikal honey? Is that you?"

"R-Rouge?" she answered in shock.

"Can you be a dear and open this door," the bat continued, "I'd like not to break into a house today."

The echidna placed her hand on the doorknob, but refrained from actually opening the door. Taking brief glances toward the home, she sought Amy's opinion. Unfortunately, the pink hedgehog was no there. Her green vision shifted back to the door a moment or two later. Chest rising and settling, she wondered if she should open the door or not. If Rouge was here, then that meant _he _was here. And Tikal wasn't sure if she was ready to face him.

But something drove her to open the door. She turned the knob and pushed it open. As expecting, the first person she saw was a white furred bat, one with this smile on her face. She swayed her away from the apartment without saying a word, leaving a confused Tikal to stand at the door side. But what of the hedgehog she saw the bat with earlier? Was he not here too? The echidna's curiosity ultimately got the best of her, causing her to look out through the doorway.

He was there, leaning on the wall, his arms crossed in their usual fashion. She felt her heart freeze up at the sight of him, while he glanced nonchalantly over. Despite last night's ordeal, the hedgehog was still so hardened, still so closed off. She would be angry, if it wasn't what she expected.

"Starman…" she whispered, her green eyes falling down to the ground, "What are you doing here…"

He didn't mount a reply, making her gaze up to him. She did so eventually, making their eyes meet. He still said and did nothing; instead he lifted his hand. Making a gesture with his finger, he caused her to step from the apartment, and to his midst. Still, he did nothing, opting to stand before her in complete silence.

And then, for seemingly no reason, he started walking off. Tikal strayed behind, shocked at his sudden demeanor shift. It took her a moment or two to realize he wanted her to follow him. She gazed back into the apartment briefly, wondering if she should follow. Would he just hurt her again? Or worse? Would the people outside gaze down upon her and him like they did the night before.

Gazing down, she found a green mist floating through the air. Gazing toward the Starman, she saw that green mist surround him. She dragged her arm alongside her lips, deciding to follow him. After closing and locking the door, of course.

"Well Tikal, I decided to be lazy today and _not _clean my house!" the pink hedgehog called as she entered the living room once more, "So we have all day to… hang… out…?" she peered left and right, seeing no sign of her echidna friend, "Tikal? Tikal? Where did you go?"

…

He stared over the lands horizon. Skies stretched on infinitely toward the distance; it was greatly surreal. But to the blue hedgehog who gazed upon it, the sight was so very dull. He had seen it too many times, and had seen such greater wonders, to care for the surreal clouds. Then again, he was still sour about the death of his beloved plane. He may never get over it.

He started to walk around the great green rock beside him, his fingertips dancing along one another. Thanks to his lack of transportation, the hedgehog was left to his own devices. He couldn't just run back home; leaping off the floating island's side would be suicidal. He also couldn't call for assistance, because his only radio was destroyed in the crash. So he was left relying on another, a certain red echidna in fact. A certain red echidna who, to his surprise, was no there.

"Jeeze Knux!" he couldn't help but to comment into the air, "The one time I need you to be here, you aren't here!" he rubbed the back of his head whilst groaning, "Just my luck..."

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long. From the forest outside the altar, the trees began to rumble and divide. The blue blur couldn't help but to smile; that sight was usually his calling card. He was, after all, the only person who could cause such force through his feet alone. The red furred echidna broke through the forest suddenly, his feet marching at such quick speeds. He seemed angry, or mayhaps tense, it didn't really matter. His appearance meant home was only a few moments off.

"Well, if it isn't Knuckles!" the blue hedgehog called, "You finally decided to show up, eh?"

The echidna suddenly leaped into the air, casting his shade over the land. Growing wide eyed and confused, Sonic rolled to the side, dodging the echidna's goomba stomp.

"Well, someone looks pissed..." the hedgehog commented, "What's got you so riled up?"

"Sonic, what are you doing here?" the echidna asked as he checked the Master Emerald.

"What, didn't you see my calling card?" Sonic replied, "I mean, my Tornado is currently thousands of pieces scattered across your island," he shook his head, "It hurts me so..."

"So..." Knuckles pulled back, "That _was_ your plane I saw..." he couldn't help but to smile, "What happened Sonic? Been drinking a bit?"

"Don't give me that," the hedgehog retorted, "One of your ancestors decided to give me a visit, a very _deadly_ visit."

"One of my ancestors, huh?" Knuckles answered sarcastically, "Now I'm sure you've been drinking..." he shook his head, "My ancestors? Really Sonic?"

Sonic slammed his foot into the ground, showing nothing but rage.

"I'm being serious here!" the blue hedgehog stated, "I was flying to your island to have a talk with you, when all of a sudden, this ghostly echidna appeared in the air. He... did something, I don't know, he fired a green blast at me, I exploded, and woke up some hours later..."

"What adventure have you been on?"

"That's the thing. I haven't foughten anyone! no Dr. Robotnik, no nothing but..." he suddenly remembered why he was here, "But Finitevus..." he intensified his eyesight on Knuckles, "Dr. Finitevus, Knuckles, tell me you know who Dr. Finitevus is!"

"And why should I?" the echidna answered whilst crossing his arms, "It's not like I have many visitors..."

"Dr. Finitevus is no ordinary being, Knuckles," Sonic grabbed the echidna's shoulders, "Dr. Finitevus is an echidna..."

The gained Knuckles attention. The red echidna turned to Sonic, his face filled with restrained surprise. _Another _echidna, his mind danced around that thought. Clearly, it was not Julie-Su, she had been with him throughout this journey. That was another thing, Julie-Su. Did she know Finitevus?

"Wait, Sonic, this isn't making any sense..." he glared into the blue blur, "Who is Finitevus?"

"I don't know," Sonic answered truthfully, "But he's a dangerous fellow. He just popped up the other day, out of the blue. Apparently, he attacked Vanilla and Cream at their house in search of an eight Chaos Emerald..." he shook his head, "But that's not all, Knuckles..." he turned to the echidna again, "Tikal is back, and we have no idea how..."

"Okay, I've heard enough," Knuckles remarked as he laughed off the hedgehog's words, "Yeah, yeah, Tikal is back, as well as some new echidna..." he regained his glare, "But the joke's over, Sonic. Get serious..."

The thing was, Sonic was being serious. He crossed his arms and shot the red echidna a glare, with a harden stance. That told Knuckles all he needed to know.

"Why are you here?" he asked next.

"Gizoids, Knuckles, Gizoids," Sonic answered, "Just like Emerl. They appeared from virtually nowhere, this is no coincidence. I'm sure they have something to do with Finitevus..."

"Why now!?" the echidna yelled, "Why did you wait to tell me this now!? Tikal is my..." he stopped to ponder their family relationship, "Well, she's my something! Why did it take you being shot down to finally tell me this information!?"

"Finitevus is no joke, Knuckles," Sonic answered, "I wasn't well enough to come here until a few days ago. You wanna know why? Because of Finitevus. He's some wizard, it seems. He was able to tell everything I was about to do, before I even thought it out yet..." he rubbed his arm, "He gave me a good beating, had it not been for Rouge and Shadow, I don't think I'd be here..."

"Shadow?" Knuckles repeated, "Shadow... Funny..." he glanced over to the Master Emerald, "Shadow came by a few weeks ago. Said he needed to talk to the Master Emerald..." he gazed back to Sonic, "Does he have anything to do with this?"

Sonic froze up. He started thinking about Shadow, and how the black hedgehog had a close relationship with Tikal. Figuring now was not the best time to relay this information, the blue hedgehog gave a shrug.

"I dunno..." he lied, "I came here to see if Finitevus or his Gizoids were on this island, seeing as this is the last known residence for echidnas..." he glanced over, "When I crashed though, I ran into Chaos..." Knuckles eyes widened, but he stopped himself from interrupting the blue hedgehog, "He healed me of my injuries, and I talked to him. He's been looking for Tikal, which I assume is because she's no longer in the Master Emerald..." the hedgehog smiled, "I agreed to bring Tikal back. Maybe if I do, Chaos will lead me to Finitevus' location. If the echidna is on the island, that is..."

"Where is Chaos?" Knuckles asked, almost too eagerly.

"I can't say," Sonic replied, "He went back to being a puddle and vanished..." he sighed, "I came here soon after... I know you have a Chaos Emerald Knuckles, I need to use it to get back down on the earth..."

Knuckles turned slowly, his purple eyes aiming upon a certain stone slab. He walked toward it, whilst thinking about this new mysterious echidna. Finitevus, did Julie-Su have any ties to this man? And what of Tikal? Did her sudden appearance tie into any of this? A better question would be, why was he taking this so nonchalantly. Even he didn't like it.

Kneeling down, he removed a stone block. Beneath lied a shimmering red gem. He lifted the rock and turned back to Sonic, seeing a smile upon the blue hedgehog's face.

"You better give this back, Sonic," Knuckles said as he tossed the Emerald to him, "Besides... why do you need this anyway?"

"I can use Chaos Control too!" Sonic stated, "Maybe not as well as Shadow, but I can, you know!" he rose the rock high, "And don't worry, I'll be back soon, with Tikal!" he faced away, where his face grew hard, "And when I find Finitevus, I am going to make that echidna pay... Now then... CHAOS CONTROL!"

His body turned a red flashing light as the Chaos Emerald pulsated its godlike power. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into thin air.

Only to appear behind the echidna, head first into the stone of the altar.

"Ouch! Dammit!" he groaned as he rubbed his head, "Okay, okay... maybe I don't have this as well as I thought I did..." he stood up a few moments later, raising the Chaos Emerald high once more, "Let's try this again... CHAOS CONTROL!"

Just like last time, the blue blur transformed his body into a red like. Unlike the last time however, his teleportation went off without a hitch. He vanished from the island of Angel Island, leaving silence where he once stood. And a brooding red echidna.

"Who was that guy?" her voice called, as she walked up the altar steps.

"Sonic..." Knuckles answered, before bringing his vision down to her, "Julie-Su, tell me... who is Dr. Finitevus?"

Her face brightened up.

"Oh, I never told you?" she answered, whilst smiling no less, "Dr. Finitevus is my father!"

…

It was a truly wondrous sight. The puffy white clouds, the mountain tops which poked through, the gentle and silent winds, one would be lucky to see such a place. The grass of the land was gentle to the touch, for the morning dew was still within. But they weren't wet, meaning there was little to no discomfort in touching them. Kneeling down in the grassy fields, she immediately felt her mind be transported to a simpler time. A more fun time, in fact.

"What is this place, Starman?" the echidna asked of him, turning away.

He was standing behind her, his arms crossed in their usual manner. Though he retained his usual hard face of indifference, she didn't feel pushed away. It was quite the opposite; she adored that face of his.

"Hill Top Zone..." he answered nonchalantly whilst walking forward.

"The fields are blue here..." she replied as he turned away, "How such a thing possible?"

"You're asking me about impossibilities?" he inquired with a low chuckle, "Did you hit your head, Tikal?"

She couldn't help but to smile. Hearing him chuckle like that, she knew how much of a rarity that was. Only Tikal could bring such an action out of him, and it made her so warm inside. It was almost a mystical power of hers, making the Starman smile. It was magical.

"So why have you brought me here?" she asked next.

He sat down next to her, keeping silent as he got comfortable. After a warm sigh escaped his lips, he peered endlessly over the many bounds and hills. Hill Top Zone was truly a geographical anomaly. The hills in the land stretched far beyond the clouds themselves, allowing one to gaze down upon a sea of shifting white.

"I like Hill Top Zone..." he commented, his eyes closing slowly, "It's calm and silent. I find myself sleeping here often..."

"Shadow?" Tikal called, making his eyes open once again.

He turned and faced her. Their eyes met as they did so many times before. She saw herself in his ruby eyes, making her shiver. He, on the other hand, peered long and hard into those verdant orbs. She was different, there was no denying that. But this was _his _Tikal. Her voice, her mannerisms, her demeanor, the only thing different about her was those eyes.

"Why don't you tell me who you are?" she asked.

His eyes grew lidded, and she heard him groan. She had him again, somehow. That trance-like motion, where he answered any question she pleased. He was like that again.

"Because if I told you..." he answered, "I'm afraid you won't _like _what you hear..."

"How can you say that?" she asked, "I... I just want to know who you are? I find myself losing you, Starman, because I don't _know _you..."

"I know _you_..." he answered, "That's why I _can't _tell you about me. If I did, you'd _hate _me. I know it..." his eyes were filled with life again, "The Starman is not who you think he is..."

She was taken aback by his words. The Starman was not a man to lie, about anything. Would he really be so different to what she suspected, or was he being too overprotective?

Whatever the case may be, she didn't believe him. The Starman being anything but the Starman, was unbelievable to him. He was just being apprehensive, that's always been his problem. He was always afraid of something which had not happened yet. This was his problem.

But his fears were _never_ unfounded. Maybe there was something she didn't know about him. Something she _shouldn't _know.

"C'mon..." he said standing up, "Let's go, there's a Chao Garden deeper inside here..." he smiled again, "You love Chao, don't you?"

He started walking off, deeper into the field of green and blue. Tikal stood a few moments later, though a gripping fear grasped her. What was it that the Starman did not want her to know?

The echidna followed soon after, trying her hardest to force these thoughts from her head. She didn't want the Starman to be anything but the Starman. Yet his own words belied the truth. A truth she wasn't so keen on knowing.

…

Tikal's green eyes snapped open. Stretching tall, she yawned loud and hard. His warmth was directly below him; his eyes closed and silent. Briefly, she glanced around to the land surrounding her. The various Chao were all sleeping, just like they were; the pond behind was silent as well. The orange echidna smiled, finding the entire land to be ever so cute. Her vision shifted down however.

Shadow, the Starman, was resting below. His usually demonic visage was soft and tender. In rest, he looked so cute and gentle, far different from how he looked normally. She smiled, enjoying the look she could see rarely. But her quivering nose caught a hold of a scent.

It was there again. The aura, the green energy. It had returned. It fluttered around the hedgehog, beckoning to her in a slightly malicious way. Her finger slowly trekked up his furry white chest, parting the aura below. She brought her nose close to take yet another whiff of his scent, causing the green aura to fly into her systems. She shuttered, but not in a delighted way. She wanted more of it, somewhat like an _addiction_. But so long as those silver and gold rings sat around his wrists, she would be denied this substance.

Her hand crawled over to the silver band, the new one he had gained. Very briefly, she touched it, causing yet another shiver to travel up her spine. Her hand gripped onto the ring, but very gently. Looking left and right, she made sure no one was watching. Then down to his face, she scanned his empty and silent visage.

Through his rest, the hedgehog puckered his lips, murmured something, then returned to silence. Tikal increased her hold on the silver band. Very gently, she tugged and pulled on the ring, but not strong enough to jolt him.

Suddenly, the ring clicked. Tikal pulled her hand up, freeing the hedgehog of one of his Inhibitor Rings. Shadow groaned, almost in _pain_, but never returned to consciousness. The green aura which surrounded his body danced, and started to float through the air. Though most of it remained in his body, some of it was now leaking.

Tikal's eyes turned red. She watched green aura flutter off of her own body, moving to meet the other. When the two auras touched, they started to swell into her own body. The echidna's breathing grew sporadic yet low, while this new feelings started to take over. She was absorbing the energy, and it felt _amazing_.

This was wrong, so very wrong. But at the same time, it felt _right_. So very _right!_

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Words and stuff, stuff and words... Ugh..._

_Anywho, this chapter's title, Blue Fields, is named after a song from Final Fantasy 8. I've never played FFVIII, but I have played way, way, too much FF: Theatrhythm, and I can easily say Blue Fields is a favorite song of my. I don't know why I named the chapter this though, seem's pretty unnecessary._

_And you know what? This isn't the first time I've used Hill Top Zone in my fanfics. In fact, it isn't even the second time. I used Hill Top Zone in Shadows of Hope, I used it also in Impact Horizon, and I believe I mentioned it in Casscadian Kings. I really do like Hill Top Zone, ya'know. It's music is awesome. _

_Other than those trivia bits, I don't really have much to say. I can say this chapter ended differently than I originally planned. I was going to have Sonic confront Julie-Su, but I decided to save that for another chapter. Once again, I am planting the seeds for the future! And boy, when things start happening, they will happen. If you catch my drift, that is._

_But before I send off, I have a very fun thing for you. You see, I've decided to write for five people. Who are those five people? You can be the one! On my devientArt page, I have a journal entry telling my fans that I will write for them. Sad thing is, I haven't really gotten anyone to sign up for it yet. But I'm not giving up hope! If you've ever wanted me, Maverick Kay Prime, to write for you, here's your chance._

_Wow, it sounds like a sweepstakes. What I'm trying to say is, I wanna write for you. But I will only write for five people. Whatever it is, I'll try and get it out to you. So, if you want me to write for you, send me a PM or go over to my devientArt page. If your having trouble finding my dA page, just look up my name on your search engine. My dA page should pop up._

_I think I've been playing too much Tekken. My eyes are seeing combos!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	15. Sorrow

Sorrow

"I'm sorry... I'm so, so, sorry..."

She crawled back on her bottom, her hands covering her lips. She shook and shivered; her green eyes wide with horror. Gazing upon his body, she no longer saw that green aura floating around him. It was all gone, and she knew why. The echidna was, after all, the one who caused it. She absorbed it all, like a little _vampire_. She didn't mean too, she _really_ didn't mean too, but she did it. It was just one tiny morsel at first, which grew larger and larger as time went on. It was such a blur, the action was, just one long, mindless, blur.

And now he laid at her feet. His eyes glaze, mouth agape, body _silent_. His chest wasn't _rising,_ his heart not _pumping_, his lungs not _moving_. The black and red hedgehog before her was not breathing. _Not. Breathing_.

"I didn't mean too!" she cried out, "I didn't mean too!"

Who was she yelling this too? The Starman? It was obvious he couldn't hear her. Hell, he couldn't hear anything. Death will do that to a person, after all.

"Please, please!" she pleaded, her body sliding over to his slowly, "Get up! Get up, Starman! Get up!" her eyes began to quiver, "Shadow... Please, Shadow... Get up..." she started to cry, sob uncontrollably, "Get... up!"

The trees above her started to rustle, causing her eyes to drag skyward. She saw these teal orbs glaring back at her, hate within the being's eyes. The only thing the echidna could do was shake her head in disbelief, as if she could assure the being that no foul play was performed. That, of course, would be a lie.

Besides, there was no persuading this tree perched being, for those teal eyes relayed only malevolence. The being eventually stood tall, his figure being compared to a bat. In fact, it was a bat, one that descended down upon the hedgehog and echidna slowly. Her wings floated so slowly and melodically, yet they retained an air of violence. The echidna continued to step back in fear, while this bat stepped forward. The bat inadvertently pushed up her chest, whilst crossing her arms. Her position became hardened and overbearing as she approached the being before her.

She stopped though, when the hedgehog on the ground groaned. He started breathing again, and heavily too, while coughing in pain. The bat, when at first angered, quickly crouched down near the hedgehog. Her face grew soft, while her hand fell upon his chest. He wasn't saying anything, and it looked as if he would continue doing so. The bat tried to get the hedgehog to say more, but he was much to weak to do so. This, in turn, made the bat mad. Very, very mad.

"What did you do to him?" she snarled at the echidna, her teal eyes shooting knives.

"Nothing!" the echidna _lied_, "NOTHING!"

She gripped her head, feeling her body rumble beneath her arms. Her green eyes turned red briefly. She shook it off however, somehow finding solace in her own words.

No, she didn't hurt the Starman. He's fine. He didn't hurt him. No, she would _never _hurt him. She didn't hurt him, she loved him too much to hurt him. She didn't hurt him. She didn't hurt him. Those _lies_ kept her sane. Those _lies _kept her from her powers in check.

…

His hospital room was different from the others. _Much_ different from the others. Where any normal human or mobian would be given a simple bed, he was given an elaborate contraption. A gas mask was placed around his mouth, keeping him alive since his lungs collapsed. His quills and fur flowed upward, for the shimmering green fluid he was placed in healed his wounds. Eyes closed, he appeared to be sleeping within the full bodied capsule.

The bat outside gazed upon him with lidded eyes. She had seen him hurt before, she was his partner after all. And, just like the last time, it pained her to see him like this. Her wings bent down in disappointment, as if she could have stopped this. Well, she _could _have stopped this, but she did the exact opposite. The bat enabled this to happen. Instead of putting a cap on this from the very beginning, she allowed emotions to get the best of her. No, _he _let _his _emotions get the best of _him!_

Shadow the hedgehog, of all people, blinded by love. And not even the love of something good. The love of some _girl_. Now if it were diamonds, then maybe she could see it from his level. And that's a _hard_ maybe.

Teal eyes shifted to the panel beside his capsule, she read his various vitals. His heartbeat was sporadic, brain activity was there, lungs were okay, but the last bar always mystified her. It was a bar which never existed for any _normal _being. A bar which would only exist for him. The bat couldn't help but to touch the empty last bar.

"Chaos Activity..." a voice from behind called, "That's what it is Rouge. Chaos Activity."

The bat turned around, seeing a blonde teen behind her. It was odd seeing her here, as the blonde's position was that of a mechanic, not a physician. But her black and red overalls were replaced by a white lab coat, befitting any doctor.

"Hope?" the bat called with an upturned head, "What are you doing here?"

The mechanic lifted the patient's sheet in her hand, waving it around in the bat's face.

"I'm not just Omega's doctor," she claimed, "I'm Shadow's doctor as well," her vision shifted to the heart monitor beside the hedgehog's capsule, "It seems I'm the smartest person who can deal with Shadow's... physiology..." turning away she secretly blushed, "It's a position I guess I'm thankful to have..." More so than she was letting on, of course, "Anyway, this last bar, under brain activity, is Shadow's Chaos Activity. It uses a special sensor to scan the amount of Chaotic energy within a being."

"A sensor I assume you created," the bat stated, garnering a slight chuckle from the fourteen year old.

"No... not really..." Hope corrected, "It was designed long ago in the sixties in fact, but a mobian fox named Samantha..." she grimaced, now walking back from the Chaos monitor, "For normal people, such as myself, the Chaos indicator is normally dormant," she turned to Rouge, "It might show something for you, seeing as you spend a lot of time around chaotic artifacts, but for Shadow..." she gazed back to the hedgehog, "It's normally off the charts for him, but it's not now..." she turned to face Rouge, unhappiness in her eyes, "Why is he like this?"

Now things got confusing. Rouge didn't know what to do; should she retain her loyalty to Shadow, and keep his secret safe? Or should she save his life and show the problem where it stemmed? Ultimately, she thought to herself, 'what would Shadow do in her shoes?' It didn't take long to come up with an answer; if some man was sucking her life force, Shadow would have already killed him.

"That echidna..." Rouge stated, her fist shaking, "It's that echidna's fault. She's the one who caused this..." she gazed to Hope, her teal eyes showing complete rage, "I'm going to _deal_ with her..."

Before the blonde mechanic could do anything, the bat marched out of the room. Hope found her demeanor shifted to a slightly defeated one, before checking the patients sheet in her hands. After studying Shadow for a while, she could easily tell that he was _not_ in a good situation. For three whole minutes, the hedgehog she knew was _dead_.

Three. Whole. Minutes. She could only wonder what he saw in that amount of time.

"Oh Shadow..." she mused to herself.

_BOW!_

The impact shook her. Turning around quickly, the mechanic laid her blue eyes upon the hedgehog within the capsule. His ruby eyes were completely open; his open hand was sprawled upon the glass. His movements caused his vitals to bounce all over the place, save for the Chaos Activity, of course. Nonetheless, Hope was caught off guard by the hedgehog's movements.

"Hope..." he growled through the capsule's intercom, "Hope!"

She was so shocked by his sudden awareness, the mechanic almost stopped completely. After a while however, she was able to shrug off those feeling.

"Shadow, you're not well!" Hope yelled, "You need to get your rest!"

"Ti... kal..." he answered instead, his head shaking, "Bring her here! Ti... kal!"

His other finger rose, showing yellow crackles of power coursing upon its tip. When this happened, the machine showing his vitals spiked in Chaos Activities. The bar descended quickly thereafter, unfortunately. At the same time, Shadow leaned back in the capsule, too exhausted to continue.

It didn't matter; Hope got the message. Tikal the echidna, that's who he wanted.

…

On any other day, he would not be here. On any other day, he would be sitting in his command chair, giving orders to hundreds, nay, _thousands _of soldiers. On any other day, he would be enjoying a nice warm cup of coffee. On a rare day, he would get to spend time with his family. But this day, today, was no ordinary day. It wasn't even a _rare _day. It was a day like no other.

G.U.N. Commander Abraham Tower sat in the icy cold interior of the interrogation room. Before him, a peculiar sight. An echidna, of all things. She was hysterical, anyone would be. Her green eyes, quivering with fear. Tears running down her face and cheeks. She tried to keep herself controlled, but it wasn't working. Her body wasn't listening to her.

She gazed up and around the weird room they placed her in. Her arm was attached to the chair she sat in, by way of a handcuffs. She could pull on it all she wanted, but it wasn't going to happen. Besides, Omega was there, and one of his Gatling guns was already prepared. And then there was that old human man before her, the one with the different colored eyes. Never before had she seen such a thing; it had to be an omen.

"Now..." the Commander murmured, his voice low and stirring, while at the same time commanding respect, "I sit here, across from you, for reasons I don't understand," his eyes squinted, "What did you do to Shadow?"

"I didn't do anything to the Starman!" she pleaded, "I swear it!"

The Commander merely groaned, for he had heard this whole song and dance before. _I didn't do it_, over and over again, despite what the evidence may say. It was truly getting sickening, no matter who said what.

"Omega!" the echidna cried to the great robot, "Please! Tell this man I can be trusted! I didn't do anything..." she shuffled her way closer to the chair, "We're friends, right?"

Omega's head spun around in a circle, before settling on his commander-in-chief. Nonchalantly, Abraham gazed back.

"Affirmative, we _are _friends," Omega stated, before his eyes suddenly turned blue, "Files deleted! Friendship rendered null and void!" his demeanor shifted down upon her, now appearing even more daunting, "Target acquired!"

Tikal pulled, fearing what the overbearing robot may do.

"I recommend you start talking," Abraham commented, as he took a sip of his coffee, "Lest Omega become violent..."

She started to shiver again, fearing what the great machine could do to her. The door suddenly opened however, revealing a certain bat. Those teal eyes of her smoldered into a squint, while her wings flapped out far. In a flash, she was upon the echidna, her heal pressed hard into her chest.

"What did you do to him!?" Rouge barked, showing blatant rage.

"Nothing!" Tikal cried, "I didn't do a thing!"

"You liar..." the bat snarled, bringing her boot away from her chest, "He's in there dying because of you!"

"I wouldn't kill the Starman!" she yelled back, "I... I love him too much for that!"

Rouge scoffed as she turned around, finding the echidna's words to be both hilarious and stupid.

"You _love _him too much for that, huh?" she said sarcastically into the air, "Then... why is he dying?"

"He's... he's not dying..." she sulked back deeper, "He's not..."

She could lie to herself all she wanted, but the truth of the matter was blatant. He was dying, because she got a little _hungry_. The echidna knew this to be true, she just wanted to ignore it.

"What... did you... do to him...?" Rouge asked slowly as well.

"I..." Tikal whispered.

The door opened again, this time showing a certain blonde mechanic. She gazed to Rouge, then to the Commander, over to Omega, and finally upon Tikal. Wagging her finger in a come over motion, she sent a signal over to the echidna, one saying 'follow me'. It must have been a mystical power Hope had, for Omega quickly released Tikal from her chains. He kept his claw on the echidna's however, while leading her away from the interrogation chamber. Rouge just stared in confusion, while the Commander sighed with indifference.

"I recommend you go and follow them..." he stated with a slight grumble.

It didn't take her long to give chase. Pushing through the various other G.U.N. Agents, the bat watched as Tikal was being man-handled by Omega. Things came to a stop when they returned to Shadow's containment room. To everyone's surprise, the black and red hedgehog had removed himself from his healing capsule. The area before the device was surrounded in a green puddle, while the hedgehog himself breathed in and out heavily. The wires which connected his body to the heart monitor, showed just how weak he was.

"Shadow!" Hope called first, rushing to his side.

She helped him to his feet, but he nudged her off after a few seconds. Limping his way to Tikal, he staggered to keep his body up. The echidna could only watch in silent horror, as his hand stretched forward. Shadow forced his hand upon her chest, making her wince in pain. Then something _odd _happened.

A burning green aura appeared around Tikal's body. She began to shutter and shake, as this green aura ran from her, and into his body. After a while, the both of them groaned in unison. The cords which connected Shadow to the capsule began to relay information. The bar which represented his Chaos Activity started to bounce once again. Seeing this, Shadow removed his hand from Tikal's chest. She fell back finding it odd how hard it was to breathe suddenly. The Starman, on the other hand, merely shook his head in defeat.

"Dammit..." he grumbled, as consciousness began to leave him, "Finitevus was right..." he fell back, "You _are _a Chaos Emerald..."

His mind went black, where he _luckily_ fell into Hope's arms. At the same time, Tikal felt a sudden fatigue she never felt before. Shortly thereafter, the echidna fainted as well.

…

The hare could only twiddle her thumbs as she watched her friend rant. The pink hedgehog before her trekked left and right, whilst sprouting random nonsense from her lips. Maybe the rabbit would have seen this to be annoying, had she not been so used to it.

"I mean can you believe her!?" the bubbly female bemoaned, "He practically breaks her heart, then shows up this morning and just takes her away? While all I get is this stupid note!?" she brought up the slender piece of paper, dancing her green eyes over its written message, "_Dear Amy,_" the hedgehog snarled, "S_orry, but the Starman popped up, and I'm leaving with him,_" she threw the note away, "THAT"S IT!" she faced the rabbit, "Do you know how that makes me feel, Cream?"

The rabbit merely shrugged her shoulders, for she was unsure of the answer she should give. This, of course, did not lower the hedgehog's already fiery intentions. She continued to rant, letting everyone know just how much she detested a certain black and red hedgehog. This all came to a stop when knocks echoed from the door. Amy's ranting suddenly ceased, as she walked for the doorway.

"Hello?" she called.

Perhaps it was Tikal, finally coming back. Or perhaps Shadow. If it was that hedgehog, she'd finally give him her two cents.

"Amy, it's me, Sonic..."

That was not who she suspected. All the rage and anger she had quickly left her, as the images of the blue hero filled her mind. Was he finally here to tell her the feelings she _knew _he had. Was he here to sweep her off her feet so they could get married and have children and pay mortgages and all that good adulthood stuff.

"Sonic!?" she called whilst running for the door.

Opening it quickly, she saw the man of her dreams staring back. He was, of course, lest than ecstatic, but she didn't care. He was here, at her home, and she didn't even have to rope him to come over.

"Oh, Sonic," she swooned, "What brings you here?"

His verdant eyes slid into disappointment. He was not liking this, but Amy didn't notice. Or _refused _to notice.

"Uh..." he shifted his vision over her to the rabbit sitting behind, "Ah! Cream! How are you doing?"

He quickly dashed behind the pink hedgehog to be at the rabbit's side. She giggled when the wind blew against her face, while the blue hedgehog came to a complete halt.

"I'm fine," she answered, while Cheese made his stereotypical Chao sounds.

"And your mother?" he asked next.

"She's okay too!" Cream said with increased happiness, "The doctors said she would be home bound in the next week!"

"That sounds fantastic!" Sonic said with a swing of his arm, "Now..."

He turned back around to Amy, regaining that face of displeasure. She didn't care though, for her face was oh, so, blissful.

"Amy..."

"Sonic?"

"Where's Tikal?"

Her face crumbled into surprise.

"Huh?" she asked.

"Tikal," the blue hedgehog repeated, "Where is she? I need to bring her back to Angel Island!"

"Tikal!?" she growled, "Why!? Why are all you hedgehogs going for echidna!? What, do you want me to just shack up with Knuckles!?"

"If it'll get you off my back..." Sonic mumbled under his breath, "Seriously though, Amy, I need Tikal. It's really important."

"Ugh... fine!" she pointed out through the door, "Shadow came by and whisked Tikal off her feet. Where they went, I have no clue..."

"Great..." Sonic grumbled, "Well, at least she's with Shadow..." he pulled out the Chaos Emerald Knuckles gave him, "I think I'll be able to find him with this..." he placed his hands on Amy's shoulders while he stepped out the door, "Thanks Amy, I owe you one..."

When her face brightened up, he quickly began to recant his words. No matter, he had a person to find. Chaos Emerald in hand, the blue blur dashed out of the apartment, leaving Amy a sweating mess.

"Oh Cream," she couldn't help but to say, "I can't wait for you to feel the feelings that I'm feeling."

"Uh... yeah..." the rabbit responded.

…

He skidded to a halt. Pulling up the red Chaos Emerald, the blue hedgehog watched as it went wild with power. That usually meant one thing; he was getting closer to another Chaos Emerald. And there was only one Chaos Emerald he knew for sure was in this base. _His _Chaos Emerald, _Shadow's _Chaos Emerald.

Sonic pulled back as he gazed to the mountainside base. It was well hidden, despite the fact that it gazed upon an entire city. Just standing outside of it sent chills down his spine. He was never one for government-run structures, especially this government. It would be a lie to say he and G.U.N. were on bad terms, but it would also be a lie to say they weren't. It's not like he disliked the agency, he knew they were good guys, it's just that they did frame him in a bunch of crimes before. He wasn't planning on reliving that, no matter how fun it was.

Unfortunately, the hedgehog knew that a few more crimes would be added to his already long sheet. It's not like they could catch him anyway. It was time for a little breaking and entering.

At sonic speeds (hah!) the blue hedgehog dashed for the base's front door. Instead of sliding in however, he skirted up the skies and into a well hidden air duct. Zipping inside, he dashed over and pass various beings. No one found his incredible speed to be shocking however. One individual giggled as he dashed by, in fact.

"Hey Shadow!" she cried as he whisked by.

So, his dark counterpart enjoyed dashing through these halls as well. Not surprising, actually. At least no one will know he was here. He dashed from one side to the other, only stopping to get a better view of the area before him. The red Chaos Emerald on his person began to shake wildly, making him skid to a complete stop. Raising the rock, he hovered it near a certain door. After making sure the coast was clear, he quickly opened and slipped through.

The door locked with a click behind him, causing the hedgehog to trek into the darkness of the room. With his back turned, he inadvertently ran into another individual. Spinning around quickly, his green eyes fell upon the blue eyes of a blonde human girl. She was surprised by his appearance, but silent nonetheless.

"Whoa," he commented as he peered into her eyes, "You're kinda young, dontcha think?"

"You're Sonic, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said with a smile, "The one and only!" his demeanor became serious shortly thereafter, "I'm looking for Shadow, do you know him? He's about the same height as me, looks a lot like me too, 'cept he's a whole lot more grumpy."

She nodded, and with a smile no less. Pulling the patience sheet close to her chest, the blonde stepped out-of-the-way for him. Sonic gazed beyond, seeing two beds laying side by side. One with his dark counterpart, the other with the echidna he searched for.

Shadow and Tikal lay on separate beds, both silent. The heart monitors which showed their vitals were normal, save for the Chaos readings. It was obvious that Tikal was holding much more power within her body, than the hedgehog beside her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa now!" he exclaimed in shock, "What happened here?"

"We don't know," the girl said from behind, "That's what we're trying to figure out," her face hardened, "What are you doing here? This is G.U.N. Property, you could be-"

"Arrested, yeah yeah, I know," he sighed nonchalantly, "Jeeze... What is going on here? First some albino echidna, then Gizoids, now this? What next?" he shook his mind clear of these thoughts however, "Never mind, I need to bring her back to Angel Island," he faced the young girl behind her, "Hey doc? Is she okay to travel?"

"Doc?" the girl said, confused, "As in doctor? No, no, I'm... well..."

The door opened, catching both off guard. Sonic prepared himself first, ready to fend off any agent who came to shove him out. Who came through was no ordinary soldier, however. The wing span she held said otherwise. Teal eyes hidden under teal eyelids, the white furred bat trekked nonchalantly into the room. After a brief stretch and yawn, her eyes finally opened, falling upon the blonde first.

"Hey Hope, how's our prince and princess?"

The blonde took a face of disdain when those words left the bat's mouth. Nonetheless she answered.

"They're alright Rouge. Shadow and _her_ vitals are coming back to normal. Oh, and Sonic's here..."

The blue hedgehog suddenly appeared from under Shadow's bed, his eyes shooting glares at Hope.

"Thanks blondie," he stated, "I can't really sneak around with that!"

"Don't blame Hope," Rouge said, her eyes rolling, "I heard you from a mile away. These ears aren't just here for show, you know..."

The hedgehog stood tall beside Shadow's side. Eventually his eyes trekked down to the dark hedgehog, seeing such a pale reflection.

"Tikal is killing him," Rouge stated, "That's why he's like this..."

"And what of Tikal herself?" Sonic asked, his arms crossing, "Why does she look like this?"

"Ask Shadow," the bat answered, "Shadow was able to absorb a little of his Chaos powers back from Tikal. He called her a Chaos Emerald because of it..."

"Well that doesn't make any sense," the blue hero murmured, "How is Tikal a Chaos Emerald?"

"That's what we want to know," Rouge shifted her vision over to Shadow, "So far, he's the only one that can provide us with answers. When he wakes up, of course."

"Great..."

He groaned to himself, while Rouge stared into his eyes.

"Why are you here, Sonic?"he asked.

"Oh, right," he chuckled, "Well, I came to get Tikal. I'm trying to find those Gizoids that attacked us, and more importantly, that Dr. Finitevus guy. I figured Tikal could help..." he rubbed the back of his quills, "Doesn't look like it's going to happen though..."

While he thought in defeat, Rouge pondered otherwise. Shifting her gaze down upon Tikal, she felt her eyes squint. So far, echidna was nothing but trouble. Her appearance brought way to another echidna, Gizoids, and now, a dying Shadow. Yet she still knew not was worse; the echidna's antics, or Shadow's negligence to do anything about it. It was sickening!

So far, she had played the game by Shadow's rules. She allowed him to have his love, to continue lying to himself, to continue _dying_. It was time she did something about it.

"Take her away, Sonic..."

"What?" he asked, surprise.

"Take her away," she repeated whilst looking at him, "She's been nothing but a little leech, Sonic. The farther away she gets from Shadow, the better..."

"Are you sure?" he inquired whilst dashing his way to Tikal's side, "I mean, isn't she, I dunno, important?"

"To you, maybe, to me?" the bat shook her head, "Not so much," her eyes grew into a squint, "Get her out of here, Sonic, before she ends up _killing _someone else..."

He wanted to understand why she said such a thing, but one look at Shadow told him all he needed to now. Chaos Emerald in hand, he slowly scooped Tikal up in his arms. She groaned in her rest, and even murmured 'Starman'. The sound of it made Sonic regret his actions, but Rouge was having none of it.

"Are you sure?" he asked one final time.

"Sonic... I'm sure..." she said sternly.

"Okay... don't get mad at me when _he,"_ he motioned to Shadow, "Get's up..." Rouge's stern gae said other wise, "Okay, okay."

He rose the Chaos Emerald, causing its red energy to rumble. The closer he brought it to Tikal, the more powerful it became. Maybe the idea of her being a Chaos Emerald wasn't so far off.

"CHAOS! CONTROL!" he ordered within the room.

The red power of his Chaos Emerald brought a blinding light into the room. It surged for an extended period of time, before suddenly dying out. Upon doing so, Sonic and Tikal were gone.

"Shadow's going to be angry..." Hope commented.

"Let him be..." Rouge said, her arms crossing, eyes falling upon the black and red hedgehog, "He's alive, ain't he?"

…

His golden optics opened suddenly. At the same time, the red optics of the head before her opened. The two echidnas gazed at one another, as they realized their plan had come together. Sure, it may have happened in a different way than they intended, but the outcome was all the same. Soon they would have the dragon of destruction _and_ the eighth Chaos Emerald.

"Keep the base secure. I'll be back."

The cloaked garbed albino echidna walked out of the room. Placing his arms behind his back, he trekked deep into the halls of his metallic base. A smile appropriate to a sadist was settling upon his lips. Next stop, Angel Island.

…

"This is a waste of time!" she stated, her arms crossed over one another, "We should be looking for Chaos, not just sitting beside this," the magenta echidna gazed to the green rock, seeing her reflection gaze back, "Decently sized rock, might I say..."

With an annoyed eye, she glanced over to the red being sitting there. His arms were crossed too, eyes closed, taking a near monk-like disposition. He wasn't moving, save for the rise and fall of his chest. That's not to say he wasn't conscious, he was just deep in thought.

Dr. Finitevus. Who is he? From what Sonic told him, he was a vile man with Gizoids. _Dangerous _Gizoids. But Her description of him was so different. Instead of being a cold calculator with amazing battle prowess, she described him as a doting and loving father. They were two completely different descriptions, and he had no idea which one to believe. On one hand, he had Sonic. Sonic didn't lie, well, not often. On the other hand, he had Julie-Su. She was, so far, believable. He had no reason to distrust her, she hadn't tried to shoot him in the back or otherwise kill her. Save for that first day of course.

But what separated the two was her race. Unlike Sonic, unlike anyone else for that matter, Julie-Su was an echidna. He hadn't seen another echidna since Tikal first appeared. And before her, well, it was _too _long. But here was this woman, an echidna of equal age to him, one who brought with her _hope_. She said her father could, possibly, _bring back_ the echidna race. But now he knows her father could possibly be a liar.

There was no way to know for sure, not until he met Dr. Finitevus himself. There were two people the echidna now had to play. Julie-Su _and _Sonic. At least until he knew what was what.

"Just wait Julie," Knuckles stated, "We'll get Chaos soon enough..." she quieted down, "He'll come to us..."

Red, a violent and frenzied red. It appeared beside the echidnas, on the grass to the right of the Emerald Altar. Knuckles and Julie got to their feet, as the mystical flashing red bounced and quaked. Within the burning red, the silhouette of a blue hedgehog could be seen. In his arms, another echidna.

"Okay Knux," Sonic's voice rang as the flashing died out, "Tikal's here, and soon, so shall Chaos..."

Such befitting words for the _end_.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Jeeze, it took me a while to post this. Well, a while in my time, sorry bout that. B__ut anyway, on to the story._

_So! Pointless trivia! Yeah, Hope has a crush on Shadow, I made that apparent in this chapter. Once again, this is a reference to Shadows of Hope. Don't worry she isn't going to be a character who heavily impacts the story, obviously enough. She's just a fellow member of Team Dark, their mechanic and Shadow's doctor it seems. _

_Also, I make a reference to Tribal Dance in this chapter. Shadow died for three minutes, in Tribal Dance, Shadow was gone for three minutes. It might not be such a big connection, but it is a cool one if you ask me._

_Last reference to another one of my stories is Maria Robotnik: Agent of GUN. Hope explains how the Chaos Activity monitor was created by a fox mobian in the sixties. This fox mobian is Samantha Prower, who was in Agent of GUN. Obviously, Samantha is supposed to be Tails' grandmother. But that's just another pointless references to my other story. These two don't share the same universe just so you know. _

_Well, with the trivia out of the way, I'm going to explain some things about this chapter and this story in general. I don't know how, but this story really took a turn for the worst. No, no, not worst in the negative sense, I think this story is really well done (if I do say so myself). When I originally began this story, it wasn't this, how should I say, dark. It was a lot more lighthearted and had some comedic tones in it. Somehow, I just started writing all this drama and mystery and other anarchy. The Shadikal moments within seem so rare and far between. Does that anger you?_

_I find that the harder I try to copy Tribal Dance the more different this story becomes. Honestly, I see that a good thing. If I did just straight up copied Tribal Dance, this story would be so 'been there, done that'. __I feel like, every time I try to interject romance in the story, I feel the moments to be so... generic. When that happens, my mind finds ways to change up what happens. I don't know if I should be happy, or terrified. How do you feel, my faithful readers? Do you like the story so far, or are you mad with how I've written it? Judging from the views I've gotten so far, it hasn't reached the same level as Tribal Dance. I just akin that to the fact that this is a story, and thus not many people will read it, but I dunno. _

_So, give me your honest opinion. Do you like Howls from the Past?_

_But enough of that... _

_Now, before I write the next chapter for this, I have obligations. Dark Star of Chaos asked me to write a story, and I shall do so. Possibly tomorrow, it depends on how fast I write it. After that, I will write the next chapter for HftP, then I will write the second story for Pacer287. And so on and so forth until I'm done with my requests._

_So, till next time!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	16. In Remembrance of You

In Remembrance of You

When his eyes open, he was no longer in the area he expected to be. There was no shimmering green fluid keeping him awake, no tubes sticking to various parts of his body, no incessant beeping of a heart monitor, no darkness. It was all relatively light, calming, soothing even. Staring up, down, all around, showed him virtually nothing. His eyes were much to blurry to relay any information in the slightest. He almost relented; he almost allowed himself to return to rest.

But there was something empty in this room. His ruby eyes opened again, searching for this lost feeling. He could feel the lack of it, the lack of a source, an _energy _source. _She _was directly beside him before, but no longer. His head jerked to the side violently, while the blur covering his eyes finally dissipated. The bed beside him was empty, its sheets nicely folded. He was a man to rarely crumble in the face of danger, but this was different. He wasn't fearing for his own safety, he was fearing for _her _safety.

"Tikal...?" he called, his voice weak and raspy, "Tikal...?"

There was no answer, of course. His calls fell upon silent air. Well, _almost_.

"She's not here, Shadow."

His eyes widened. Weakly, he moved his body around, turning to hear the voice which called him. His eyes met the teal eyes of a white furred bat. She folded her wings inwardly, a gesture which made her seem more open. One of her legs sat upon the other, while her slender arms laid upon the chair's rest. Her visage was serious and nonsensical, which offset the hedgehog's face. He was, uncharacteristically, frantic and distraught.

"Where is she?" the hedgehog asked, his ruby eyes gleaming.

"Away," the bat answered, her eyes closing, "Away from you..."

"Rouge," he growled, some of his original personality returning, "This isn't some game... Where is Tikal?"

"And why would I tell you that?" she asked, her teal orbs opening once again, "Just so you can get her again and kill yourself?"

He started to growl again, whilst staring up to the ceiling. He was so weak, and extremely tired. The last thing he wanted was an argument, especially with her. He knew her long enough to know there was no victory when it came to such a thing.

"Why do you keep saying that?" he asked, "I can handle Tikal..."

The last statement was such a blatant farce, his body convulsed when he finished his words. Violent coughing escaped Shadow's maw for a few seconds, before he finally settled down. Unfortunately, his actions gave Rouge all the ammo she needed in this dispute.

"Didn't you just hear yourself?" she stated, her face moving in close, "Look at you Shadow, you're a mess. You're weak in every sense of the word. You can barely move, you can barely even speak it seems, it's like you're sick. And you know why?" he didn't answer, in fact, he turned away as best he could, "Shadow didn't you hear me? Don't. You. Know. _Why_ you are acting like this?"

"I can handle her..." he repeated from before.

"You say that, when you know it isn't true..." Rouge pressed, "If you could handle her, you wouldn't be in this predicament, would you?"

He tried to ignore Rouge's sentiments, though a hidden part of his being knew her to be right. He _thought_ he could handle Tikal. A bit of him knew the truth, however. The better sense of him knew there was no holding down the echidna, no stopping her from getting what she wanted. And what she seemingly wanted, was him. And no, no, not in the good, loving way, though that may also be true. She wanted him for the power he exuded, the power his Inhibitor Rings kept in check.

"Shadow... I know you're angry..." Rouge whispered, "I understand how you feel... but can't you see this is the best for you?"

When he didn't answer, she couldn't help but to groan.

"Who is Tikal to you anyway?" she continued, "Who is this girl that you are easily able to ignore anything and everything you hear? Even when she is killing you?"

He retained his silence. It didn't take Rouge long to realize how fruitless this was. The hedgehog was sulking deeper into silence, deeper into his thoughts. She wasn't going to get any answers from him now, and possibly, not ever. So she stood up, and settled her eyes on the door. Walking for it, the bat stopped at the exit, her hand laying upon the door's knob.

"For the longest time, Shadow... I thought you couldn't love..." she couldn't help but to chuckle, "I thought you would forever roam the planet, a lonely being..." her eyes closed, "Now I do know you can love... I just wish it wasn't going to be your downfall..." she turned and faced him, seeing his crimson gaze stare into her eyes, "The problems isn't you _can't_ love... it's that you love _too _much..."

The sound of the door shutting, shook the hedgehog to his core. He couldn't help but to grimace. With his eyes closed, he saw nothing but the darkness of his mind. Through that darkness, the images of his beloved filled his mind. Seeing her, _killing him_, it made the Starman groan with indifference. He bit his bottom lip whilst leaning back in his bed. Placing his head up to his pillow, he let loose a warm sigh. His hands covered his face a few seconds later, all for the sake of removing his exhausted visage. It didn't work, as unfortunate as it was to say.

"Why did this have to happen to me?" he asked to no one in particular.

He had asked himself that question many times before. He asked it four thousand years ago, four hundred days ago, four weeks ago, four hours ago, hell, for minutes ago. And he knew he would ask it even more until the day he finally died.

Finitevus was connected to this. He had to be. It was too coincidental. The moment Tikal appears, he reappears after four thousand years. As if he were _waiting_. Well, Shadow was going to prove that the waiting was pointless. With a little _divine _intervention.

The door opened. He gazed over to it, thinking his batty friend had return. It was quite the opposite however. A certain blonde mechanic walked in, her blue eyes reading the information on Shadow's patient board. Seeing her brought a curt smile to the hedgehog's lips.

"Hope..." he called, making her head snap up.

"Shadow," she answered in surprise, "I didn't know you were awake."

His hand moved in a 'come near' gesture.

"Hope, I need you to do something for me... Something... _important_..."

…

He was, at first, elated. Holding the orange echidna in his arms, the blue hedgehog felt one leg of the journey come to a close. Soon, he would find Chaos, and Chaos will help him find those Gizoids. It was all going to plan, and incredibly too. So it was only appropriate did he find everything crash below.

The red echidna was there, just as he expected. But _she _came into view soon after. This magenta echidna, with the clothing and equipment which was other worldly in comparison. Seeing her made the hedgehog's heart drop. Not in a good way, no, it was _never _in a good way.

"Knuckles?" Sonic said, whilst shifting uncomfortably on his feet, "Who's that?"

"So this is the 'Sonic' person you spoke of..." Julie-Su answered as she placed her hand on her chin, "Hm... I imagined him differently than this..." her purple eyes drifted down, "And who, might I ask, is she?"

Knuckles nudged passed the magenta echidna, for his purple eyes settled hard on Tikal's frame. Though her clothing was different, she appeared exactly the same as she did years ago. Same lithe frame, same soft face, same expression of tenderness. She even exuded that notion that she knew more than she was willing to share. Yes, it was all there. There was no doubt in his mind, this was Tikal.

"Tikal..." he whispered in a near trance-like fashion.

"Knuckles!" Sonic barked, snapping him from his daze, "Who is that!?"

The hedgehog was unusually tense, though he had good reason too. All echidnas, save for one (or two, or three as it seems) were dead. But here was this magenta one, and she was completely different from the red echidna he knew. Her items were too advance in comparison to the natural nature Knuckles owned. Seeing her caused the tension in his body to move up a few notches.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, "We haven't properly introduced each other yet..." she stepped her way forward a few feet, "My name is Julie-Su. And you must be Sonic, correct?"

Her hand reached forth to shake his, but the hedgehog was visibly weary of the action. He took a few steps back, causing Julie to put her hand down.

"Oh don't worry," she giggled, "I'm not going to hurt your little orange friend..."

The way she said that, caused the hedgehog's eyebrow to raise. He just couldn't put his finger on it; there was something odd about this woman. And no, it wasn't because she was an echidna, though that too was obviously unusual. No, it was the vibe he was getting from this girl.

There was something _sadomasochistic _about her.

"Urgh, Sonic!" Knuckles yelled, "What the way you're manhandling Tikal! Her face is..."

The blue hedgehog gazed down to her, seeing her usually angelic face contorted into minor pain. He hadn't noticed his hands increase the hold they held on her. Relinquishing his grip on her body, he laid her down upon the altar steps of the Master Emerald. He placed her gently down, as to not disturb her rest. Upon doing so, his energy flared up within him almost immediately.

He whisked to Julie-Su's position suddenly. His speeds were so great, the air nearly struck her in the face. Gazing up, she saw the disposition of a stern hedgehog. His usually playful attitude was replaced today. He was instead rough with the echidna, for his hands held tightly upon her shoulders.

"Who. Are. You?"

He asked it slowly, yet menacingly as well. There was a gap of silence between him asking the question, and her reaction. Well, not her reaction, but Knuckles' reaction.

"Sonic!? What are you doing!?" he barked whilst shoving his way between the two, "What do you think you're doing to her!?"

Sonic ignored his friend however, instead he kept his emerald eyes on the magenta echidna before him. There was this chilling feeling he felt resonating from his body, one he did not like. Her eyes, her position, her demeanor, it all felt _evil_ to the hedgehog. She was not to be trusted, which only made him wonder more why she was here.

And on her side of the spectrum, she too wondered the same things. Who was this evil, vile, hedgehog who had the audacity to touch her like this? But, worst of all, why did she feel this burning sense that she _knew _this individual? As if they had met before. Possibly in another life?

"Sorry about that Julie," Knuckles apologize, "I don't know what got into Sonic..."

He turned and shot the blue hero a hard gaze with his purple eyes, one Sonic easily reciprocated. Before the red echidna knew it, the hedgehog had whisked him off to the Emerald Altar's back-end, constricting them from the prying eyes of Julie-Su. Here, Sonic's demeanor grew even more serious.

"Knuckles," he nearly _growled_, "Who is she?"

"What's gotten your panties in a bunch?" the echidna retorted.

"Answer me Knuckles," he took a brief glance over the Emerald's altar; Julie was still standing there, "I don't trust her..." he continued, "She feels untrustworthy to me, and because of that..." he settled his eyes back on Knuckles, "Who is she?"

"Someone who can help me," the red echidna answered.

"And in what way?" the Sonic asked back.

"Her father can... bring back the echidna race... I just need to help her..."

"Who _is_ her father?" the blue hedgehog asked slowly and rhetorically, as if already knowing the answer.

Knuckles stopped. Gazing up to Sonic, he wondered if he should tell the blue hedgehog. Tell him that Dr. Finitevus was Julie-Su's father. In the back of his head, he was roaring out 'Yes, tell Sonic'. They were, after all, friends for sometime now. But another side, the majority of his mind in fact, told him _no_. They said, 'Keep it to yourself, say nothing. You don't know who's right, remember that.' By why not Sonic? He had never lied about something this serious before. 'But remember, he never told you Tikal was back either. He was keeping secrets as well'.

Maybe spending too much time alone on this island had hardwired his brain; he was mentally talking to himself. Shaking his mind clear, he was able to settle these thoughts. Knuckles' purple eyes met Sonic's verdant ones moments later. He moved his mouth, preparing to speak.

"So-"

"NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"

That, wasn't a call they expected to hear. But of course, it didn't come from them. Both hedgehog and echidna shifted their combine gaze to the front-end of the Emerald Altar. Sonic dashed around first, with Knuckles following closely behind. The two stopped accordingly when their eyes fell upon the scene.

Tikal was awake, that was good. Except it wasn't good because she was terrified out of her wits. The orange echidna was trying to crawl herself away on her backside, while the magenta echidna before her moved closer.

This was not what Tikal remembered fainting too. Well, she didn't really remember fainting all to well, but that was besides the point. Who was this woman before her, where was the Starman, and why did seeing this magenta echidna drive her fear into overdrive? She was sure that she had never met this woman before in her entire life. But if that was true, why was she so terrified.

And why was the thought 'Oh no! She's going to _torture_ me again!' running through her head.

Whatever the case may have been, the orange echidna knew she didn't want to be here.

"What are you talking about?" Julie-Su inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Her voice was different, younger in fact, but that was expected. Her entire body was different from what the priestess last remembered. She was _younger_, it seemed. Still didn't make her any different of a person, however.

"Just! Get away!" the echidna cried as she finally got to her feet, "NOW!"

"Who are you talking too?" Julie asked, before Sonic's frame dashed in her way.

"Tikal, calm down," his voice attempted to soothe.

"You, Sonic..." she snapped at him, "You! _You! _Brought me here!?"

"Tikal, what's gotten into you?"

Her green eyes turned red. Sonic pulled back; he knew a bad sign when he saw it.

"WHY DID YOU BRING ME," a red orb of power started to expand around her body, pushing Sonic, Knuckles, and Julie-Su back, "HERE!?"

She exploded. Her body threw out a red shock wave of pain. T threw everyone away, causing an explosion which leveled the ground near the Emerald Altar. Sonic easily recoiled in midair, so did Julie, though Knuckles collapsed head first. Gazing back up, Sonic peered through the debris left by Tikal's explosion. She was gone, but gone where?

"What the hell was that!?" Julie yelled in confusion.

"Dammit! Where did Tikal go?" Knuckles asked shortly afterward.

"It doesn't matter," Sonic commented as he began running forward, "We have to find her first!"

Skidding to a halt, he turned around to face Julie-Su. Why had Tikal acted so deranged when she saw Julie? Was there a reason behind it? Possibly, but there were other things to pay attention too now.

In a sudden dash, the blue here rushed for the forest in search of Tikal. Knuckles lingered behind however, his purple eyes falling upon Julie's frame. He could only wonder why the orange echidna acted so strangely around her. But forcing those thoughts to the back of his head, he too ran off in search of Tikal. This left Julie-Su, who placed her eyes upon the Master Emerald. After a while however, she gave chase as well.

…

The echidna ran as fast as her feet could take her. She was always unusually fast, but now she was faster. Fear was driving her body, the fear born from a certain magenta echidna. She may have worn different clothing, but she was still the same woman.

Those eyes said it all. Those _reflective _purple eyes.

She skidded to a complete halt, her feet kicking up grass and dirt. Tikal quickly turned around, eying the land she ran through. Walking backwards, she wondered when they would appear. It wasn't like they were going to let her run into the forest by herself; they would appear soon. But she didn't want to be found. She wanted to keep to herself, just for a little while longer. Just until she was sure that woman was gone.

Her back ran into something. Quickly turning around, Tikal found her eyes falling upon an old disused column. Her hand fell upon the construct, finding it to be worn and torn by time. Grass was growing along the column, giving it an even greater aura of time. She couldn't help but to line her fingers along the vinyl stretch, while her blue eyes gazed elsewhere.

Tikal walked beyond the column piece, finding her position move deeper into a series of ruins. Up, down, left and right, the echidna gazed, finding the land much different from what she expected. Yet at the same time, things were _familiar_. She had been here before, as strange as it was to say.

There were temples everywhere, temples that stretched to be as tall as could be. Walking along these aged and decrepit temples, various emotions seemed to rush her all at once. Happiness; she remembered the time Millikan called her 'best friend'. Triumph; she remembered the time Ticab won the echidna games. Comfort; she remembered the time Bicab soothed her rage when her father angered her. knowledge; she remembered all the teachings her loving mother gave her. Compassion; she remembered a rare time when her father, Pachacamac, showed love for her, when an animal she was tending too died. Love; she remembered the day the Starman fell from the skies. Home; she remembered Cielo Isla.

Her eyes widened, and she stepped back. All around, was the city she once called 'home'. It was here, four thousand years old. She felt her voice get caught in her throat, while tears began to crack from her eyes. Gripping her head, she fell to her knees. More tears, more sobs of unhappiness, more regret. She felt as if, all at once, her memories rushed her. From the beginning of her life, until now. All of it was known to her.

All of it.

She pulled her hands away from her head, and down to her wrists. There were supposed to be bands there, blue bands that held her powers in check. She understood now, she understood why. Her Inhibitor Rings weren't there, that's why she couldn't control her Chaos Powers! They were acting with a mind of their own. She wasn't trying to kill the Starman, she just couldn't stop herself.

She wasn't evil.

"Funny. Really." her eyes widened, "You've finally come home."

His footsteps echoed, one after another. He suddenly appeared beside her, his hands placed firmly behind his back. He walked on beyond her, his cloak swaying in the subtle wind. She eyed him closely and watched as he pulled the hood from his head, revealing the albino echidna below. Then he turned and faced her, a sadistic smile on his lips.

"Hello _niece._.."

Finitevus, that was his name. He kidnapped her and subjected her to _torture._

_ Torture!_

"Finitevus..." she whispered.

"Yes, yes," he said, "So you've finally learned my name..."

Her eyes squinted, while a swelling sense of rage entered her body.

"You... I remember you..." she started to shake, "I remember _everything..._"

"No you don't..." he answered maliciously, whilst turning to face her, "You just _think_ you remember everything!"

She rose her foot and slammed it down, triggering a quake which rumbled the city of Cielo Isla. And yet the action did little to bother Finitevus.

"How do I _think_ I know!?" she barked, "That doesn't even make any sense!"

"Oh does it?" he stated, his face growing serious again, "I know you can feel it, girl. An insatiable hunger for the Chaos Force."

"I'm not hungry for it," she answered, her eyes turning red, "My _body_ is hungry for it! I just need new Inhibitor Rings! I'll be fine after that!"

"No you won't..." he stated, "Getting Inhibitor Rings wouldn't change a thing. Sure, it might give you a false sense of security, but things will fall back to the norm shortly thereafter."

His statement made her recant her actions briefly, before her fiery intensity returned.

"How do you know that!?" she barked.

"Oh, because I know everything," he stated with a smug smile, "I am Doctor Finitevus, after all."

"You don't know everything," she remarked.

"Oh but I do," he answered, making her eyes widen, "I do know everything, my dearest Tikal. How you woke up over a week ago, naked, confused, scared, and without any idea why..." he tapped himself on the head, "But I know why, while you merely _think _you know why."

There he goes again, using the term, _think_. It angered her.

"Then who am I!?" she barked rhetorically.

"Oh. Well, a Chaos Emerald."

Her eyes widened. That wasn't the answer she suspected.

"Yes, yes," Finitevus continued, "You, my dear, are nothing but a Chaos Emerald. A very powerful rock given form."

"No, no," she answered, her earlier demeanor growing a bit frail, "I'm not a Chaos Emerald."

"Foolish rock," the doctor remarked, his face growing threatening, "You've tricked yourself well, I do say. But riddle me this. If you aren't a Chaos Emerald, then why are you so much stronger now, than you were before?"

"Because I spent time in the Master Emerald," she answered, "That's why! A lot of its energy just rubbed off on me!"

"Sound's reasonable, but it's not," he answered with a wagging finger, "The Master Emerald doesn't grant power, not like that, at least. The purpose of the rock is to negate the powers of the Chaos Emeralds, not _grant _people with powers. That is, unless, the Master Emerald creates an Emerald. If the Master Emerald truly granted beings with power just by being near it, then Perfect Chaos would have been impossible to defeat, and Sonic would have never won..." he gazed into her face, seeing those red eyes turn green, "But you are right in some regards, it did give you power in a way. It made you a Chaos Emerald. It created you..."

"If this is all true," she answered, "Then why am I me?"

"The Starman's wish..." Finitevus spat, "The Chaos Emeralds have the ability to bring dreams into reality. They heard his wish, and created you. But the Starman worded his sentence wrong. He never asked for Tikal to come back to life, quite the contrary..." he couldn't help but to laugh, "He wished you to be real! And they gave it to him, just not in the way he suspected. That's why you couldn't remember things when you first arrived, that's why your powers are out of whack, that's why you're so _different_. Because you _aren't _Tikal."

"If I'm not Tikal..." she answered, "Then where is she?"

The doctor rose and lowered his shoulders.

"Beats me. I don't really care..."

She couldn't help but to squint in his direction, as her emotions began to rise.

"I don't believe you..." she whispered.

"As expected..." he sighed, "Nonetheless... I need you..."

His hand opened; a yellow energy dancing between his fingertips. He smiled devilishly, as his golden optics locked onto the echidna's frame. Pulling back his arm, he prepared to strike. A blush dash streaked past however, and with that dash, came a fist. Finitevus was dazed by the punch, while the blue bur formed by Tikal's side.

"Not gonna happen, Finitevus!" Sonic barked, his hands tightening into fists.

"I see," he commented whilst regaining his disposition, "I guess I forgot you were here..." he cracked his back, "No matter; I'll merely drop you like the," he tossed forth a blast of Chaos Energy, "REST!"

The yellow blast jolted through the air, but was deflected in a red flash. That flash was Knuckles of course, who bore a rage-filled disposition.

"You mind stepping down?" the Master Emerald Guardian threatened.

Finitevus pulled back, while various lines of text jolted amongst his eyes.

"Hm... Knuckles..." he remarked, "I didn't expect you to show up so soon..."

"That's the guy, Knux," Sonic stated as he got to the echidna's side, "That's the echidna who roughed Vanilla up!" his face got unusually violent, "I'm going to enjoy what I do to you, you psychopath!"

He suddenly dashed forward, rushing at the speeds he was known for. With every millisecond, his body got closer to Finitevus'. There was a loud 'POW!'. Before a punch could be thrown, a hard prick jabbed into his neck. Sonic's eyes widened, before they rolled into the back of his skull. Losing his footing, he tripped and slammed face first into the earth.

Knuckles and Tikal gazed it shock, as Sonic's body laid silent on the ground. The red echidna got to Sonic's body first.

"Sonic?" he questioned lowly, "Sonic?"

He didn't move. Knuckles' eyes trekked up and down the blue hedgehog's body, where he saw red. Blood was pooling around his body, much to the echidna's horror. He grabbed him and pulled him close, trying to seize the red fluid leaking from his neck. But it was pointless.

"Put him down, Knuckles..." she whispered behind him, "I don't want to shoot you too..."

Knuckles turned around, seeing her. Julie-Su, the barrel of her pistol smoking. Though she appeared stern, her face was oddly regretful.

"Please..." she begged.

"You... shot... Sonic?" Knuckles asked, still disbelieving the situation occurring around him.

"I had no choice," she answered, "He was about to attack my father."

Knuckles shook his head, however.

"You... _killed_... Sonic!?" he got to his feet, "I'LL KILL YOU!"

His fist launched forward, one which would have easily crushed her skull. His back was turned, however. A violent electrical surge, drove through his body. The echidna lost all power in his limbs because of it and he quickly fell. Julie gazed down upon Knuckles with sorrow-filled eyes, while her _father_ stood on the opposite side.

"Good job Julie-Su," Finitevus stated, "You've made Daddy proud..."

"But I still failed..." she answered as she crossed her arms, "I... I didn't find Chaos and..." she closed her eyes, "Knuckles is..."

"So you didn't find Chaos, it doesn't really matter," he gazed beyond his daughter to the terrified echidna behind, "We have the eighth Chaos Emerald. That's a much better prize than Chaos... besides, we'll have him soon enough..." he gazed down to Knuckles, "And we needed him as well..."

"What about Sonic?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"What _about_ Sonic?" he asked sarcastically, "Take Knuckles, I'll deal with the Emerald..."

She nodded solemnly, before dropping her eyes down to the red echidna's body. As she crouched down, she couldn't help but to apologize. Finitevus however walked forward to deal with Tikal. She remained stunned by the display before her, which locked her in place. His hand touched her soon after, right on the wrist.

She fainted.

…

Green eyes suddenly opened in a massive gasp for breath. He stared skyward to the nightly stars. His hands immediately slammed onto his neck, feeling for the painful prickle which struck him. When he felt nothing, he gazed around his immediate area.

Chaos 0 was there, his aquatic face showing no emotion as usual. His arm was unusually red, while a small lead fragment floating within the limb. The blue hedgehog's eyes widened.

"I was shot, wasn't I?" Sonic asked.

Chaos nodded.

"And you healed me?"

Chaos nodded.

"So... that wasn't a dream I was having... I actually... _died_..."

Chaos nodded.

There were many feelings a person would feel after coming back from near death. Sonic felt none of it.

"Knuckles! Tikal!" he faced Chaos, "Where are they!?"

It wasn't like him to fret about his own person, after all.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_What, you thought I was actually going to kill Sonic? Yeah right, fat chance! I was going to save that last bit for the next chapter, but I didn't want to keep you all waiting so yeah... there's that..._

_Whoops, I got a head of myself, I usually start off by saying something stupid and/or fun. Oh well!_

_Tikal's finally learned who she is. Or who she's based off of. Yeah, do you believe Finitevus' words, or do you think he's just a damned liar! I dunno, you tell me! Also, Julie-Su has shown that her father's wishes outweighs everyone elses. Honestly, are you so surprised by this? Then again, she doesn't look like she enjoyed her actions. Sure, she doesn't care for Sonic, but Knuckles is different. She might actually like the echidna._

_Oh yeah, Shadow's doing something. What is that something? It involves Hope's mechanical genius so it's important. Whatever it is, of course._

_Anyway, this ends yet another chapter. Gonna have to wait for the next one though. I have to write for Pacer287. Yeah, remember when I said I had requests to fulfill? I was serious. I've written already written one request, I have to make my others. By the by, Dark Star of Chaos, you haven't told me what you thought about my story yet. That makes me made._

_:(_

_Anywho, I hope you're enjoying the story right now. Why don't you tell me. Please? You know how much I love reviews._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	17. The Eighth Element

The Eighth Element

The footsteps rumbled silently amongst the land. She stalked through the shrubbery, keeping her head down and antics quiet. Her blue eyes were trained amongst the grassy fields before her. Despite the heavy and tall trees surrounding her, the plateau of grass was virtually untouched by shadows of any kind. But there was a being in the center of this plateau. He was much different from the natural feel of the land. Where the forest clearing was wonderfully green, teaming with life, and the sun beaming down, he was aloof, disinterested, and silent. Upon the face of this being sat a sterling silver helmet, while around his shoulders laid a long red cape.

She smiled at the sight of this being, even though he knew not of her existence. His back was turned to her, constricting the view to his hidden face. Placing her hands on the tree sides around her, the young woman stepped daintily over the bushes. Even though her movements were silent, she still gazed up to him just to make sure he had not heard her. He didn't, so she continued.

The young woman was able to clear the distance between she and he, by tip-toed footsteps alone. Each one was as silent as the last, making her as silent as the resting wind. Now she stood behind him, and yet he was still none the wiser. She would have giggled, finding his ignorance cute, but she knew doing so would reveal herself. Even as her shade drifted dangerously over his body, he remained as silent as can be. She rose her hands; her individual fingers moving in various ways. He still knew not her existence.

She pounced upon him, hitting _air_. Her body crashed into the grass and flowers below, making her groan in pain. After rubbing her head, she spun around to see where her prey ran off too. He hadn't, in fact. Instead, the being with the sterling white helmet and the red cape, gazed upon her with burning blue eyes. His hand reached forward, asking for her hand as well. She couldn't help but to smile, whilst pushing her hand forward.

He gripped it tenderly and pulled her up onto her feet. The tug was almost too strong, for she found her person crashing into his chest. Before she could pull away however, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He hugged her, his warmth intermixing with her own. She couldn't help but to hug back and tighter as well. This feeling was almost magical; the feeling elating. She closed her eyes to better nuzzle her face into his chest. He placed his hand on the back of her head to hold her in place just a few moments longer.

But alas, not even this could go on forever. He pulled back, just a few notches, so he could break the embrace. Though she was unhappy with the choice, she didn't voice her opinions. Instead, she watched as he placed his hands upon his helmet. With a slow pull, he began to remove the silver helm upon his head. Individual clicks echoed out, as the metallic clamps holding the helmet down snapped apart. The blue eyes of the helmet dimmed out, being instead replaced by cold darkness.

It was funny, really. The helmeted being looked so superior with the helmet on. Everything about him, from his cloak, to his armor, gave him the disposition of an armed and heavenly figure. But with the helmet off, his true colors were seen. He was no being of celestial origins, but quite the opposite.

His visage was demonic, with jet black fur, and burning red highlights. His eyes were as bloody red as the ones which spewed from the dead. Every fiber of his being looked murderous and vile. She was, at first, feeling so much unrequited love. But now, she was shivering within. Seeing these bloody eyes, peering into her blue ones, it made her shiver.

He started to kiss her, and without warning. His lips pressing against her muzzle. She tried to enjoy the kiss, but something was stopping her from doing so. He wasn't the same as she remembered, as if he were a _different _person. As if he were a person she did not know.

"Starman..." she whispered; her eyes finally closing.

"Tikal..." his voice answered slowly.

She pulled back, seeing absolutely nothing gaze back. Her vision drifted toward the sky, seeing thousands upon thousands of stars stare back. Each one twinkled brilliantly, mirroring the twinkling souls of mortals. She stretched her hand forward, in a failed attempt at grasping one of this stars. A burning green light caught a hold of her eyes, however.

She stared down, seeing a great green rock. Walking toward the rock, she suddenly stopped. Seven other jewels descended around her, all in identical shape to the great one, they were just smaller. The seven gems of Chaos began to spin around her, making her hair flow skyward. This, however, came to a sudden stop. Her eyes opened again, seeing a woman sitting on the great rock from before. Her arms were crossed, and her frame was shimmering. They looked alike, these two, mother and daughter possibly.

The girl found solace in this woman. Her hand stretched forward to meet her, but the woman pulled back. She said something. Something low, something stirring. Something evil.

"You're not my daughter..."

…

Her eyes opened suddenly. She was almost jolted by the sudden chill which held her. Normally when she woke up, she was coveted by a warmth. Now however, her body was held hostage by such an insurmountable cold. She shivered, while her eyes tried to make sense of the predicament she sat in. Between the horrible wake-up, and the harsh feel against her body, the orange-furred echidna could only imagine what terror she had been placed in.

The blur constricting her vision steadily began to whittle away. When her eyes had finally adjusted themselves, they relayed a depressing array of metal. There was an extreme lack of space within this room. It appeared as if the echidna could easily walk from one side to the other, in a relatively short amount of time. The only door in the room was directly opposed to her, and it was sealed shut.

The echidna struggled to her feet. But as soon as she got up, an unimaginable weight brought her to her knees. Staring to her feet, the echidna saw they were clad in heavy metal. Staring next up to her hands, she saw that they two were bound by heavy cuffs and chains.

Growing distraught, the echidna began to shake her head. This all felt familiar to her, _too _familiar. Seeing these wonderfully silver bonds sent shivers of fear down her spine. Though she didn't want to, the young echidna thought back to the _first _time this happened to her. In that desert city a long time ago. She could still feel the painful slashes of that _whip_.

The many mechanical whirls of the machinery within the walls, began to churn. The echidna stared up in shock and awe, while the door began to part in four different directions. Slowly, a golden-eyed albino echidna revealed himself. He stood at the doorway with a less than stellar visage. The orange echidna, upon seeing him, began to scoot back in fear.

"Finally awake, Emerald?" he asked, in such a derogatory way.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" she asked, with half-closed eyes, "My name is Tikal..."

"Fine, keep calling yourself that..." he groaned, "If it'll make you feel better, that is..."

After rubbing his head, he started walking toward the echidna. She tried to escape, but her back quickly hit the wall. With him now standing before her, she could only wince as he gripped the metallic bonds holding her hostage.

"Remember these?" he asked with a smile, "I used them on Tikal four thousand years ago. They kept her from using any Chaos powers, which made her the perfect little prisoner."

"Made _me _the perfect little prisoner," she snapped back, "While you sat idly by and let that..." her voice suddenly stopped; she couldn't bring herself to say that woman's name. It brought too much pain.

"Yes, yes, she did torture Tikal, didn't she?" he chuckled, "Lien-Da did, right... Don't worry, Emerald, Lien-Da is dead. She's not going to torture you..."

"You're supposed to be my uncle," she remarked, "Why did you let that woman do what she did to me?"

Suddenly, his hand wrapped tightly around her neck. With great ease, the albino echidna lifted her and slammed her into the wall. Her verdant eyes grew wide, as she stared into his golden ones.

"You make it seem as if I _cared_," he remarked with a broken smile, "I _hated _Tikal. Her torture was music to my ears!" he finally dropped her, allowing her to gasp for breath, "The sins of her mother, Akna, fell upon her, when she died!"

Tikal gazed to the floor, while she took a defeated disposition.

"Why do you hate me so much?" she asked.

"You? I don't _hate _you," he stated, "You are, after all, a vessel which will aid me in my future plans. I can't hate you, Emerald..." then he thought on her words, "Well, maybe I hate you just a little. You do look like Tikal, after all."

"What did _she_," Tikal's eyes widened as she noticed her slip up. Ultimately, she shook her head clear of her earlier words, "What did I do to you, to make you hate me so much?"

He glared upon her with eyes so _understanding_.

"Two reasons, really," he said, "First off, you look so much like Akna... _too _much, I would say myself..." he shuttered, "I _hate_ Akna..." his optics narrowed, "Secondly, you played a hand in my downfall."

But Tikal shook her head, disagreeing with the albino's words.

"No," she stated, "You lead to your _own _downfall..." her eyes closed, "You should have known Enerjak wouldn't listen to you... I watched him turn you into dust..." her eyes reopened, "How did you live?"

All he had to do was tap his head, and he did so with a smile.

"Superior thinking girl," he answered, "I saw the outcome coming a mile away, and planned accordingly. Actually, things went according to plan. I released Enerjak upon the world with the intention of watching him destroy _everything_. Once the planet was freed of life, I would descend down upon it, and rewrite the planet in my very one image..." his face grew haggard, "But then, the Starman killed him, with Tikal giving him the power to do so," he spun around and faced her, "That's why I hate her, Emerald."

He grabbed her face, clenching it hard in his metal grasp. Though the thought of killing her did cross his mind, he knew that would only push his plans back another four thousand years. Poor girl didn't know how vital she was to his scheme. So he released her and began walking off for the exit. Before he could leave though, her hand gripped the edge of his cloak.

"Wait," she whispered, "What are you going to do to me?"

"In due time..." he stated as he walked for the exit, "You will release _Chaos_ upon the world..."

The segmented door closed shut behind him, keeping Tikal closed off from the world. This only lasted a few moments however. On the right wall, Tikal watched a screen descend. She cocked her head at the sight, watching the screen suddenly buzz to life. It showed nothing but a simple field. A silent one, where people were having a picnic. It was a nice sight.

But it was torn asunder by gunfire. Left and right, men garbed in blue and grey rushed each other. They were armed with muskets, muskets which constantly flared off with bullets. When gunfire didn't work, they enemies opted to strike each other with the knives placed on their rifles. Whenever they stabbed one another, blood flew. Tikal pulled away, trying not to see it, but the sound of the war persisted. She heard men die, people scream, and general terror spread amongst the land.

The doctor wasn't forthcoming with his words. She wasn't going to be tortured by Lien-Da, no, he was going to torture her. Just in a way she did not suspect.

…

The sliding door closed behind him. The albino echidna's golden optics moved up and down along the metallic hull of the room. Eventually, his eyes settled upon the disembodied head before him. Those red optics belonging to the cyborg head, glared deeply into the albino echidna. If he wanted too, he could destroy him on the spot.

"Dimitri, how are you this morning?"

"Angry!" he answered, "Finitevus, what are you doing!?"

"What do you mean?" the doctor inquired as he sat down, "Are you talking about the Emerald?"

"What are you doing to her?" Dimitri asked.

"Whoa now," Finitevus answered with a slight chuckle, "Be careful Dimitri. If you keep saying words like that, you'll lead me to believe you're getting soft."

The head's optics squinted, shooting the doctor a burning stare. He couldn't believe Dimitri's words.

"Soft, me?" he asked, "No, I'm not soft," he caused the base to shake, "I'm merely impatient! I have spent four thousand years here, Finitevus! Why have we not taken control of the world yet!? This waiting is driving me further up a wall!"

"Didn't you just hear yourself?" Finitevus inquired, "You've waited four thousand years, Dimitri. Just wait a few days more and you will have everything you ever wanted."

"You have yet to explain how we are getting there..." the head asked back, "Have you not realized that we are missing Chaos? A key component to our four thousand-year old mission."

"Can you stop saying that?" Finitevus asked, drawing attention to the time frame, "Yes, I know we are missing Chaos, but there is a reason to this. If I brought Chaos here, he would tear this base apart to get to her," he shook his head, "Unless the priestess says otherwise, however..."

"What are you picking at?"

"It's simple Dimitri," the doctor answered with a smile, "All I have to do is deny the Emerald some rest, deny her some food and of course shove propaganda into her eyes."

"What? Wait..." Dimitri took a thinking pose, "Sleep deprivation, food deprivation, propaganda? Yes, I see it now!" he gained a malicious smile, "You're going to use classing, non-physical, torture on the girl. And once you've broken her down..."

"I'll rewire her brain," Finitevus stated, "She'll listen to me once she realizes this world is not worth saving, then she'll... well... _ya'know_..."

Finitevus began to chuckle. Those chuckles gave way to full on laughter. Dimitri did the same, though when he laughed, the base shook to its very core.

…

He felt like it had been an eternity since he last saw his home. When the door finally opened, his ruby eyes instinctively ran amongst the sides of his home. Stepping into his home, he closed the door shut behind him. Omega wasn't home yet; the robot was still having some last-minute repairs done to him by Hope. Tikal wasn't here either. With her being in Sonic's hands, the hedgehog wasn't sure if she were safe. Sure, its Sonic the hedgehog, the great hero of Mobius. But, there in lies the problem. He's _Sonic the_ _hedgehog._ Trouble flies at him like moths to a light.

For now, however, the Shadow the hedgehog could only pray. Pray Sonic would protect the person of his affections. With the black hedgehog's current state, he could barely protect himself, let alone Tikal. And though that thought angered him beyond all belief, he knew he couldn't do anything about it. For now anyway.

Shadow stepped into his home, a loud yawn escaping his maw. Though it wasn't necessarily wise for him to leave the G.U.N. infirmary like that, the hedgehog didn't really care. His own bed was ten-thousand times better than any G.U.N. bed.

He started off for his bedroom, while his hand started to loosen the hold of his gloves. But the wind began to stir. His eyes widened; he recognized that sound. The action of the stirring wind normally accompanied two beings. Himself, and _Sonic._

Shadow turned around, just when the wind died down. True to form, the blue blur stood directly before him. Sonic said nothing, and for a while, Shadow too said nothing. He just stared at his lighter counterpart, while his eyes slowly moved into a squint. He already knew the blue hedgehog was going to deliver bad news, he just waited to hear it.

"Tikal's been kidnapped..."

There we go.

Any resemblance of a feeble body for Shadow flew out the window at that moment. He suddenly dashed forth in a black blur and wrapped his hands around Sonic's neck. His momentum caused the two to crash into the floor, where Shadow ended on top with his hands still around his counterpart's neck.

"I figured you were smart enough to realize _failure_ warrants death!" Shadow commented as he increased his hold, "I guess I figured wrong!"

"Shadow," Sonic grumbled through gasps for breath, "Let... go... -ACK!- We need to -AH!- talk!"

The hedgehog's eyes squinted. Even though he wanted to squeeze Sonic's neck until his eyes went 'POP!', he didn't. Killing the hedgehog would create more problems instead of solving them. Though the thought was a good one.

He pulled back and crossed his arms, allowing Sonic to gasps for breath.

"You have five seconds before I destroy you..." the dark hedgehog threatened.

Sonic got to his feet while he rubbed his neck. To Shadow's confusion, the blue hedgehog paid extra attention to the back of his neck.

"It all happened so fast," Sonic began, "I thought I had the right plan. Ever since Finitevus popped up, and those Gizoids, I was a bit _paranoid_. You remember how dangerous Emerl was when he got all the Chaos Emeralds, so I couldn't imagine more of him running around. I decided to search Angel Island for Finitevus. It made sense, an echidna in the homeland of the echidnas. Things didn't happen too well, however. I was shot down by this... _thing_. I can't explain it; it was like a ghost appeared before me. When I crashed on Angel Island, I was found and healed by Chaos. Just my luck, right? Running into Chaos like that... He realized Tikal was no longer in the Master Emerald, and thus had been roaming around Angel Island. I figured if anyone knew the island, it was him. If anyone knew the base of an insane echidna, it was him. There just one thing; he wanted Tikal. So I borrowed Knux's Chaos Emerald, warped down to the planet, then ran my way over to where I knew Tikal was at. I knew she was with you. And I knew your Chaos Emerald was with you. The closer I got to you and your Emerald, the more powerful my Emerald became. Boy was I surprised to see you in your state..."

"Sonic... get to the point..."

"I am, I am... I took Tikal with me to Angel Island, while you two were in the hospital. She was alright, by the way. When I took her to Angel Island, I came to a... _predicament_..." he shook his head and got angry, "Knuckles is the _last _echidna. But over the course of a few weeks, I keep finding more and more. First Dimitri, then this girl..."

"What girl?"

"Her name is Julie-Su..." Sonic shook his head, "She was another echidna, one Knuckles was apparently friends with. I don't know how she got there, or when, but Knuckles fully trusted her. I didn't. I knew she was connected to Finitevus in some way," he started growling, "I was right. Tikal ran off when she laid eyes on Julie-Su. We caught up with her, just to see her and Finitevus having an argument. I ran in the way, and was ready to strike down the doctor when..."

When he stopped, Shadow's eyes widened. Sonic began rubbing the back of his neck, for seemingly no reason. _Seemingly_...

"I was shot. And I died..."

That. Wasn't the answer Shadow was expecting. His arms broke their crossed manner, while Sonic shook his head.

"Had it not been for Chaos, I'm sure I wouldn't be here..." he gazed up to Shadow and forced a weak smile, "When I woke up, Knuckles, Tikal, Julie-Su, and Finitevus were gone. I ran around the entire island looking for them, yet finding nothing. When I asked Chaos if he knew where they were, he pretty much said no. When I asked him where Finitevus' base was, he once again said no."

Sonic couldn't help but to gaze down to the floor in defeat. This was the first time, in a long while, did he ever feel like a failure. It may not have been his fault his friends were kidnapped, he was shot after all, but that didn't matter to him. He failed. _Failed_.

"We need to get a move on..." the blue hedgehog suddenly said, "Standing around like this isn't going to solve anything..."

"I figured you'd say something like that..." Shadow answered as he walked off, "Do you have any ideas on how to find Finitevus?"

"I'm pretty sure Tails can help," he said with a smile, "We should head over there now."

"Good plan; doubt it'll work," Shadow stated as he returned into the room, "I doubt Tails can help us here..."

"What do you have in mind?" Sonic asked.

Shadow withdrew his coveted Chaos Emerald. The green one, that is. He was always known to have that rock on hand, and this was no different. Sonic watched as Shadow cupped the Emerald in both hands. Green bolts of electrical energy pulsed through the jewel and into his body. The room flashed briefly, before finally settling down. Shadow stood tall a few moments later, while he placed away his Chaos Emerald.

"Like I said," he stated with a more lively vigor, "Tails won't help us here..." his face focused, "There's a certain _doctor_ I'm sure can help us..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sonic said with waving hands, "You mean old Eggman? You're joking, right?"

"No..." Shadow answered as he crossed his arms yet again, "If I know the doctor, he's probably noticed the appearance of another MD on the field..." his gaze upon Sonic intensified, "There's no way Finitevus and the doctor have _not _met yet."

"So you think Eggman knows Finitevus' whereabouts?" Sonic grew defeated, "Perfect... just perfect..." he glanced back up to Shadow, "Well, you're the secret agent man... where is old Eggbut hiding?"

"Fire up the Tornado, Sonic," Shadow ordered, "We're going to Genocide City..."

"Yeah, about that," the blue blur replied, "It kinda blew up when I got shot down. It ain't flying anywhere..."

Shadow's eyes squinted.

"Fine..." he groaned, "We'll take my plane..."

…

"Knuckles... please... hear me out..."

Her words fell on death ears. He sat down with his arms crossed, his purple eyes closed. He wasn't sleeping, he was just thinking. Metallic chains held him down and ceased his connection to the Chaos Force. Bars of electricity jutted from entry holes around him, keeping him within a torturous cage.

Julie-Su stood outside the ring, her face filled with pain. She didn't like the silence Knuckles was giving her; it hurt too much. But he didn't care. She betrayed him, after all, and there was nothing she could do to change it.

"Please... Knuckles...?"

Silence.

She didn't know why, but this anger began to swell in her. She started growling, while slamming her feet upon the ground.

"Dammit Knuckles!" she barked, "You shouldn't have gotten so closed to me! You should have just tossed me off the island side if this was going to happen! You should of..." she shook her head. Was she actually saying this, "You should have listened to your gut..."

Turning around, she missed Knuckles' eyes open. The Master Emerald Guardian was alone for a few moments, before the door opened yet again. It wasn't Julie-Su this time, no, it was her _father_. Dr. Finitevus stepped in with his indifferent nature. Walking over to Knuckles' cage, he suddenly stopped when he stood directly before the echidna.

"Knuckles the echidna..." he whispered, "Boy. Aren't you quite the person. Last _known_ echidna, and Guardian of the Master Emerald..." he shook his head, "You know, your father Locke was a brilliant man. Possibly one of the smartest beings on the planet before his death," he shook his head, "But I'm getting ahead of myself... I came here for a specific reason, Knuckles," his hand stretched forward, "There's a flood coming, Knuckles. Its going to wipe clean the planet like so long ago. Everyone is going to die. But from this flood, the seeds of life will rise yet again. I'm here to offer you a place aboard the Ark..."

Knuckles gazed into his eyes. For a moment, it looked as if the echidna would agree. He was mulling it over in his mind, after all. But to Finitevus' surprise, the answer wasn't a 'yes'. Nor was it a 'no'. Knuckles spit on him. Through the electrical bars, and right onto Finitevus' face. While the albino echidna groaned in disgust, Knuckles chuckled to himself. A few moments later, he returned to his monk like stance.

"Fine, be that way!" Finitevus barked as he stormed out the room, "But when you are at the bottom of the ocean, only realize I tried to give you shelter!"

…

She stared, wide-eyed, into the screen. Over and over again, they played. Such horrible images. Murder, death, destruction, it was always playing. She tried sleeping, but the sounds kept her awake. She was denied food. She couldn't do anything other than watch.

Her green eyes were a burning red. She wanted so desperately to explode. To _kill_ Finitevus. Had the chains not been bonded around her wrists, she would have done so. But no, that wasn't true. There was only one thing keeping her from completely losing it.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the hedgehog in her mind. His protective body loomed over her. He gave her solace; shielded her even from the horrors around her.

"She's still fighting back."

"I know, I know... she's quite the trooper, isn't she?"

"She's a lot like Akna. Strong, she won't give in so easily."

"Her problem is her love. She trusts to deeply in him..."

"I assume you have something which can... _sever_ this?"

"Indeed..."

The screen changed. No longer was it showing a war, instead it showed a demon. Tikal knew that demon. From thousands of years ago. His name was _Black Doom_.

_I gave you life, and this is how you repay me!? _The recording of Black Doom said.

The image shifted, showing a certain _demon._ Standing before him.

The Starman.

"Now she'll know her love is a lie."

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Well, took a while to get this chapter up. Now I'm tired. And I feel sick._

_Woo-hoo! (Sarcasm)._

_So I've talked before, making this no less different. Yeah, you know me, I like to talk. Chapter 17 of Tribal Dance was called, well, Tribal Dance. Though I was tempted to name this one Howls of the Past, I decided against it. Instead, I went with the pointless Fifth Element reference. Oh well._

_The reason I made the reference is because Tikal is seeing the horrors of modern war and such. Much like that once seen from the Fifth Element where Leeloo sees a lot of images of war which makes her hate earth for a little while. The first image Tikal sees actually happened. It was a battle in, I believe, the American Civil War. A lot of people heard there was going to be a battle in a certain field, so families started to picnic out at the field to watch the battle. When the battle actually started, and people saw how gruesome it was, they ran for their homes. As you can obviously tell, before movies were created, people were idiots. Well, at least Civil War era people.  
_

_In some more trivia, Finitevus quotes Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat Legacy II. Yeah, pointless, but I figured I'd point it out. I do that, ya'know._

_I really don't think I have much more to say, really. In my opinion, I really like this chapter. There's just something fun about having Finitevus and Dimitri talk to one another; I really enjoy it. Plus, they're happy. Their thousand-year-old plan is finally coming to fruition. Can't you be happy with them?_

_Well, that's enough for today. By the by, Pokemon Bank has finally been released! Yes! I know! Awesome! My old Pokemon are super happy and awesome because of it, now that they're in Pokemon X! So, how about this. Next Saturday, I'll accept any challenge anyone gives. And, I will be using Leaf's Team from Shadows from Before. Just so ya'know, Shadows from Before is my Pokemon fic I wrote, it's super good, you should read it. Leaf's the main character and such. I'll be using her team. Yup, all six of them. Sans Arial cause I suck at training Pidgeots._

_So. Challenge me if you dare. Oh yeah, and why Saturday? Because I need time to train of course._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	18. The Great Escape

The Great Escape

He briefly danced his fingers along his brilliant mustache. Peering through his glasses, he gazed down upon a certain robot. His chassis was open, showing the various circuit boards and wires within. The doctor chuckled briefly, while his eyes moved toward a certain blue rock. It shimmered with a magnificent brilliance, one that was unmatched by any other. Seeing the rock, sitting down on its mechanical pedestal, caused the brilliant scientist to laugh once again.

After a few moments, he shifted his blue gaze back down to the faux hedgehog laying before him. He lifted his tools and started working again. Sparking and fusing wires, correcting circuitry, adding any new gadgets when he found necessary, he worked with a mystical certain kind of efficiency. Though he was known for being a bumbling scientist, there was nothing 'childish' about him. He could be terrifically dangerous when need be.

Pulling back however, he felt the wind in the room shift. He gazed down to the mechanical hedgehog, seeing its red eyes were a dark black. His lack of movement showed the doctor that a problem lied within. His other robots seemed to not notice their intruders, for they weren't programmed to. But the doctor was different.

Beneath the body of the faux hedgehog, lied a gun. Feigning ignorance, the scientist began to reach for the gun, while he continued working on the robotic being. His fingers started to prod the steel of his weapon and after a while, he pulled it from its magnet. The intruder was close now, causing the doctor to lick his lips.

He rose the gun under his desk, hiding it away from his trespassers. Finally, his robots appeared to notice the unwanted individual. He spent a few more seconds prodding his creation's chest. Then he suddenly stopped, and spun around with his gun ready.

The barrel of it aimed directly toward a certain black and red hedgehog. The doctor pulled back, his eyes widened with surprise. After a while, he placed the gun back down on the desk beside his creation's body. Now growling, he started working on the faux hedgehog's chest once more.

"Seriously, Shadow," he said with annoyance, "I have a front door, you could have merely knocked..."

"Such pleasantries are denied you, doctor," the hedgehog answered, "And you know why..."

Eggman could only groan it off, as he returned to messing with Metal Sonic's inner workings.

"And you brought Sonic with you..." he stated with annoyance, "You must really want me to kill you..."

The blue hedgehog suddenly appeared from the ceiling vents; one of his eyebrows rose in a stupefied manner.

"How'd you know I was here?" he asked, genuinely shocked.

"I fight you almost everyday," Eggman answered coyly, "I've learned the tricks of the trade..." he briefly glanced at his hated nemesis, "Now tell me; what business do you two have with me at this current time!?"

"Doctor!" Shadow yelled as he slammed his hand on the table beside Eggman, "Finitevus. I'm sure you two have a mutual knowledge of one another."

Eggman squinted his eyes at the sound of his name, before taking a glance up to Shadow himself.

"Maybe we do..." Eggman answered, "Why does it matter to you?"

"We need to know where Finitevus is..." his eyes moved into a squint, "And since you are the only person who knows of his whereabouts, it would be wise for us to come to you..." he slid his hand closer to Eggman's neck, "Where. Is. Finitevus?"

Eggman smiled. Truly, he was a man without peers. Gazing into Shadow's ruby eyes was enough to make any being fold, human's especially. The only person who ever stood tall against the hedgehog was the G.U.N. Commander himself. But Eggman was oh so different. He could talk _down _to Shadow like a child, and remain living. This, of course, was no different.

"So you want to know Finitevus' whereabouts, hm?" he asked with a snort, "You two should be gracious. I am, after all, a kind man," he shifted his attention back to Metal Sonic, while Shadow crossed his arms, "But of course, being _kind _needs its own rewards, does it not?"

"Here we go..." Sonic snarkly replied.

"What is it you want, Doctor?" Shadow asked instead.

"Aboard Finitevus' base, he has an AI with unimaginable power. Strong enough to defeat Metal Sonic, in fact..." Eggman squinted at Shadow, "His name is _Dimitri_..."

…

She tried to sleep it off, but it wasn't working. Whenever her eyes closed, she saw his disappointed face gaze at her. This _rage-filled_, face of disappointment. He had given her his trust, and she callously tossed it away. Well, it wasn't completely without regret. She had to listen to her father. Wouldn't anyone?

Then why did her choice feel so wrong? Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! She had never felt so wrong before. There was a reason behind this, there had to be a reason behind this. Her father probably had the answer.

Julie-Su stood from her bedside, whilst gazing along the confides of her metallic room. Gazing out the window, she stared off toward the sea creatures which danced beside her home. Walking backwards, the magenta echidna slipped through her door. She strolled down the metal halls, passing Gizoids as she did so, before stopping right at an elevator. After waiting for it to roll to her floor, she rode down a few hundred feet. When the door opened, she stood in the base's main chamber.

"Julie-Su?" Finitevus called from his chair, finding her appearance stunning, "What are you doing here?"

"Father..." she called with a crestfallen face, "I... I can't explain it..." she shifted her vision over to Dimitri, "And, Imperator Dimitri..."

"What's is wrong, child?" the Imperator asked in a tone out-of-character for him, "You seem disheveled."

"I don't feel to good, Imperator and father..." Julie shook her head, "Is what we did there, on Angel Island, wrong?"

Finitevus cocked his head in confusion, while Dimitri gave the doctor a hidden smile.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," the albino echidna stated, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, were we wrong to kidnap Knuckles and the Emerald like that?" she shook her head, "I can't even sleep, father. I feel like what we did was, inherently, evil..."

To her surprised, she heard Finitevus chuckle. Her eyes snapped back to him, while he shook his head in a belittling manner.

"Evil, dear?" he asked, "Let me guess, you've been talking to the guardian, haven't you?"

"No," she answered, "Knuckles won't talk to me anymore..." she closed her eyes, "I don't know why..."

Finitevus couldn't help but to analyze his daughter's face. She appeared differently from how she usually did. Julie-Su would normally be uncaring to someone in Knuckles' position. Finitevus taught his daughter to be like that, after all. But her face said differently. She was smitten with the guardian. The doctor made note of this.

"I see..." he murmured; realizing his worst fears, "Don't worry about it, Julie dear. What you did on Angel Island was for the betterment of all," his reassuring words made her stare up, "Soon, the echidna race will be back at its prime, and we will no longer live under this base."

"Why can't we go back to Angel Island now?" she asked, "Shouldn't we be searching for Chaos?"

"No, no," he stated, "Not so long as our enemies still roam the land," he smiled, "Just get some more rest, Julie dear. Before you know it, we'll be living in a world crafted in our own image. A world where we can roam free..."

Her face brightened up into a smile. Finding solace in her father's words, Julie ran up and pecked him affectionately on the check. He smiled at the feeling, and watched as his daughter ran off into the elevator. Once the door closed, he gained an annoyed demeanor. Listening to the elevator rise, he spun around in his chair to face Dimitri. The Imperator was smiling maliciously toward his ally. He looked especially evil like this.

"Don't... start..." Finitevus stated.

"It's happening again, Finitevus," Dimitri stated with laughter, "_Another_ one of your daughters, have turned out to be a failure."

"I said don't start!" the albino roared.

"Can you believe it? Each one of your children has turned out to be a failure, and for the longest, I believed Julie-Su wasn't going to fall under the same umbrella," he laughed, causing the base to shake, "But even I must admit to being wrong every now and then! And this is truly rich!"

After a while, his laughter grew silent. He stared into Finitevus' eyes with a face so serious, while his head cocked to the side.

"You should have seen this coming, Finitevus," Dimitri stated, "All your projects had problems, especially their _trigger_ word..."

"Don't you dare..." Finitevus warned.

"What was it? Oh yes, _Rutan_," he laughed again, while Finitevus leaned back and growled, "It's funny, really! The one named Knuckles and Rutan do share a resemblance, do they not? Possibly a family resemblance?" he stopped laughing suddenly, and grew serious again, "But enough of this. Julie-Su has become a liability. Kill her..."

"Not yet..." the albino doctor answered with a low groan, "She has not learned her purpose..."

…

He felt foolish. He should have seen this outcome the moment she landed on his island. He should have tossed her over the edge and been done with her. Maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way. Maybe Sonic wouldn't be dead. Maybe Tikal wouldn't be in this base, undergoing god knows what. Maybe he wouldn't be trapped in here either.

Knuckles' purple eyes slowly opened. The electrical bars holding him in place were still on. He moved his hand to touch one, but figured that wasn't the smartest of decisions. Pulling back his hand, he just continued to watch the electricity dance along the bars before him. His violet orbs drifted down to the floor of his cage. The walls and floors were made out of tempered steel. Sure, he was a strong echidna and could easily bust the bodies of anything, but this was a tad out of his league.

He tried punching the ground, but this only served to injure his hand. That wasn't something he wanted to try again. Placing his ears to the floor, he could hear not only the mechanical pieces of the machinery within, but the subtle thumping of water. He didn't know what that meant.

But then the segmented door opened. He gazed up to the magenta echidna stepping in. She appeared defeated, her arms slumped over in a haggard motion. Seeing her caused him to take the monk-like disposition from before. His arms crossed and eyes closed. She walked to the outer rim of his cage and stood there.

The silence which took over was daunting to say the least. Neither side said anything. They just stood in the silence. Knuckles wanted her to leave; he just wanted silence. With her here, it would be near impossible to think up an escape plan.

"My father is not evil..." she suddenly said, making his eyes open suddenly.

He looked into her eyes, seeing a glare stare back.

"You can think whatever you want..." Knuckles answered, his first words since he was brought here, "But I _know _evil. And that man is definitely evil..." he closed his eyes again, "Besides, I can feel a great power in this base. One that shakes me to my core..."

"Why can't you just see things my way!?" she asked, "Why must you be so damned hardheaded!?"

"Maybe if someone stopped yelling..." he answered.

She wanted to yell again, but he was right. After calming down and gathering her thoughts, she settled the anger swelling in her chest.

"Knuckles, we want the same thing, in the end..." she stepped forward, "We both want our race to return to its former glory..."

"We may be after the same thing..." he answered, "But our quest to get it differs greatly... And here I thought your father could actually help me..."

"He can!" she barked.

"Aren't we the daddy's girl?" he stated, before walking to his cage's bars, "Let's think about things here for a moment. Haven't you found it odd how you live underwater? If your father was really the savior you believe he is, wouldn't he have already brought back our race? Would you have, at least, met me before a few days ago?"

Listening to him deconstruct her life, made the magenta echidna stare down to the ground.

"Our enemies are after us, that's why..." she answered.

"Enemies, huh?" Knuckles asked with a chuckle, "What enemies?"

And for that, she had no answer. She never asked her father what enemies were after them, she just accepted his words. But once again, Knuckles seemingly deconstructed her life with ease. It angered her.

When she gazed back up, she saw Knuckles had returned to his monk-like pose. Arms crossed, eyes closed, body silent. Julie wanted to yell at him some more, but she thought against it. Taking a few steps back, she slipped through the door. She would just have to prove to Knuckles her father's innocence.

Julie strolled down the hall for what felt like forever. Though bed was sounding better and better as time went on, she found her feet take her elsewhere. She moved deeper and deeper down the halls of the metal base, passing multiple Gizoids as she did so. Before she knew it, the magenta echidna trekked into an area she had not seen in quite some time. Gazing up, she traced the hall's name with her eyes.

CH-32.

She remembered this hall. Her father always told her to steer clear of this area. She never knew why, but he was extremely adamant. As days passed by, she just listened to her father, and neglected to head down this area. But now was different. She was searching for proof of her father's actions. She started walking deeper down the hall, eventually stopping when she came to the CH-32 main door. After fiddling with the panel on the right side, she caused it to open.

…

Shadow's eyes widened. He couldn't believe the doctor's words. At first, Eggman was pleased with his words, but upon scanning Shadow's face, he felt the air shift in style. Even Sonic noticed this, as he ran to the dark hedgehog's side.

Dimitri; that name floated around in Shadow's mind continuously. But it was impossible. Dimitri was dead. The hedgehog killed him himself. He watched the Imperator disintegrate into nothing. And even if, by the grace of some god, Dimitri survived that, there was no way he'd be alive after four thousand years. Then again, Finitevus was alive after four thousand years. Maybe it wasn't so hard to believe.

"You said... Dimitri, right?" Shadow asked.

"You say that as if it's impossible..." Eggman replied.

"It is impossible..." he answered, "Because I _killed_ him..."

Sonic and Eggman pulled back, while Shadow gazed off. He didn't want to think about the terrible battle which occurred thousands of years ago. How he fully became the Starman. Sure, it was a triumphant time in his life. Shadow the hedgehog, the Ultimate Lifeform, bested a god! But, no, it wasn't good. He barely won that fight. Had it not been for the Super Chaos Emeralds, the world he knew may have been completely different.

But that was then. This is now. Did Dimitri retain his godlike powers? Shadow could only pray not.

"So you know each other!" Eggman commented, a scandalous smile coming to his lips.

"In a way," Shadow answered, "It's best not to go in-depth with it..." his eyesight intensified in the doctor's direction, "How powerful is Dimitri, and why do you want him?"

"As I said," Eggman stated, "The head has more power than he seems..."

"A head?" Sonic asked as he pulled up a chair.

"Yes you little rodent! He is a head! The AI system of the base is a head known as Dimitri!" he closed his eyes and gripped his nose in an attempt to calm down, "Anyway... The head is more powerful than he seems. He has, as I've seen, the ability to leave his body and possess things. The beings he possesses has more power than ever. I watched him overshadow the bodies of multiple Gizoids, and each one was granted almost unimaginable power!"

"There's... _more_, Gizoids?" Sonic said, realizing his fears were real.

"Yes fool," Eggman snapped, "Finitevus has a factory of them, which cranks out Gizoids by the second..." he shook his head, "But I've found a problem with Dimitri. When he overshadowed the Gizoids, they had the nasty tendency to... well... disintegrate._.._"

"That doesn't sound like a problem..." Sonic stated, "What's stopping Dimitri from possessing one of us?"

"Dimitri's not that kind of person," Shadow answered, "If he wants us dead, he'd kill us with his own hands. Not by possession..." he shook his head, "Dimitri is a sadistic bastard..."

"How powerful is he?" the blue blur asked.

"Too powerful..." Shadow answered, before settling his eyes on Eggman's frame, "Tell me, Doctor... did Dimitri ever refer to himself as... _Enerjak_?"

The doctor thought on the hedgehog's admission for a few moments. Before ultimately nodding.

"Oh yes," he said, "He called himself, Imperator Dimitri: Enerjak incarnated..." his eyes settled on Shadow once more, "Why? Does it matter to you?"

His answer was a growl.

"Unfortunately..." Shadow answered as he closed his eyes, "It seems as if Dimitri kept his powers..."

"Seriously, Shadow," Sonic pressed, "How _do _you know this guy?"

"Is there anything else, Doctor?" the hedgehog asked instead, brushing off his blue counterpart's question.

"I believe Dimitri has a weakness," Eggman said as he gained a smile, "When he leaves his body, his head is rendered defenseless. If you kill the head, you kill Dimitri," his eyes suddenly widened, "But no! Don't kill Dimitri! I want him!"

"Dimitri is _not_ an AI, doctor," Shadow stated, "He's a very violent and dangerous individual. If he really has Enerjak's powers, there is no way I'm allowing him to stay alive!"

Though angered by Shadow's statement, Eggman knew there was no convincing the hedgehog otherwise. So, settling back into his chair, the doctor relented.

"Fine..." he stated, "But I want the Gizoid schematics!"

"That I can do..." Shadow said, much to Sonic's shock.

"What!? No!" he barked, "Shadow, there's no way I'm giving Eggman the schematics!"

"Well you don't have too," Shadow said, "I will..." he shook his head, "I'm sorry Sonic, but we have no choice but to comply to the doctor's words. As long as he knows where Finitevus' base is, we have to do what he says..."

Sonic gained a face of disdain and his shoulder's fell, but he knew where Shadow was coming from. Turning around, he faced his age-old nemesis in the eyes. The doctor had one of his classic smiles on his face, of course. After sighing it off, the blue hedgehog crossed his arms.

"Fine, I'll make a deal with the devil," Sonic stated, "Where's Finitevus, Eggbutt!?"

"I love your enthusiasm," the doctor countered with a chuckle, "Finitevus' base is twenty-thousand leagues under the sea. Because of that, the pressure is much to great for any vehicle. Not even my creations are strong enough to go that deep," he took a brief glance at a certain blue demon, "It's partly because of this, that Metal Sonic is in this dire condition," he shifted his vision back to Sonic and Shadow, "Instead, Finitevus used a device called a 'Warp Ring', to get to his base and leave it as well!"

"Do you have any?" Shadow asked.

"But of course!" Eggman stated with an uppity grin, "I am the great Doctor Ivo Robotnik, after all! It would be foolish of me to leave one!"

"So it would be accurate?" Sonic stated.

"Shut it! Fool!" the doctor shrugged off his words, "Now... just follow me Shadow," he stood up from his chair, "I will lead you to the Warp Rings..."

He started off for the exit, and after a while, Shadow followed suit. Sonic lingered behind however, for he still felt animosity toward his egg-shaped foe. His green eyes shifted over to Metal Sonic's silent husk. He couldn't help himself. He moved his hands over the blue demon's body. The faux hedgehog gripped his wrist.

Sonic pulled back, while Metal Sonic applied more pressure to his hold. Even though both of his legs were missing, and on of his arms, not to mention his chest was open, he still held enough hatred to attack his eternal foe. But before any fight could initiate, Metal Sonic's body went silent, and he fell back.

Sonic eyed his metal clone long and hard, before rushing out of the room.

…

The metallic door opened in segmented parts. The red echidna gazed up at the wall, for his back was turned toward the entryway. He could hear breathing, tearful gasps for breath even. He turned around and glanced at her out the corner of his eye. She was standing there, panting for breath, tears rolling down her extremely angry face. She was conflicted with her emotions, and rightfully so. He turned back and closed his eyes.

"I hate you..." she stated while the sound of a keyboard being tapped echoed out, "I really fucking hate you..."

The electrical bars holding the echidna in place were suddenly off. He was released.

"Unless you want to die down here, I recommend you follow me..."

He couldn't help but to smile.

…

The Starman is a lie. The Starman is a lie. The Starman is a lie.

He's no great judge. He's no great judge. He's no great judge.

He's a liar. He's a liar. He's a _liar_.

She was huddled in the center of the room. The TV screens strewed on the walls around her, showed only static now. She didn't have the power to stand or move, so she just laid there. Her arms were holding tightly upon her body in a failed attempt at keeping her warm. It wasn't working, as unfortunate as it was to say. As long as those chains were on her body, she was stuck in this room.

The segmented door suddenly opened. She gained the power to gaze up to the entry. Part of her remembered a time like this. Where she was on the ground, defeated, and _he _came. It wasn't the savior she was expecting, of course. Not the first time, and once again, not this time.

"Tikal?" Knuckles called in horror, "Tikal, are you alright?"

She didn't move or say anything. Instead, she remained still and emotionless. Knuckles scooped the echidna up in his arms, finding her disposition heart-wrenching. His hands applied more pressure to Tikal's body, while he held her up.

"We need to get a move on," Julie-Su warned, "Or else, Knuckles!"

"What did he do to her?" he asked instead.

"I don't know!" she barked back, "But we can't stand around any longer! Father's going to find us soon!"

"I know, I know, but Tikal..." he glanced down upon her, seeing such a horrible sight, "You're right. Let's get a move on..."

The two rushed out of the room, side by side. Making their way into the halls, they marched upon an area filled with fallen Gizoids. The deeper into the halls they roamed, the more Gizoids seemed to rush their way. With Knuckles' hands filled, Julie took head point. Her double-barreled pistol flashed constantly, striking these Gizoids with ease. They exploded often, littering the ground with their robotic corpses.

"I'm confused," Knuckles stated, "Gizoids are normally strong, but you're dropping them like nothing."

"These are just some drone types," Julie answered with a few more gunfire, "They're nowhere near as strong as some of the better, Gizoids..."

The alarm overhead continued to blare, while Julie lead Knuckles into a far off room. After steering clear any more Gizoids, Julie opened the door directly behind them. Inside was an armory, filled with various weapons. Many were beyond the time, even by echidna standards. Knuckles himself found this to be amazing.

"Damn, damn..." Julie commented to herself whilst shuffling frantically through the armory.

"What's wrong?" Knuckles asked.

"The Warp Rings," she stated with a shaking head, "They aren't here!" she gazed down to her wrists, "And my Warp Rings are still out of juice! There's still some around though; I know it! Father always keeps an extra pair!"

"What are Warp Rings? And why do they matter?" the red echidna inquired next.

Julie started to grow frustrated. Well, even more frustrated than before.

"We won't be able to get out unless we find them!" she barked, while her hands slammed upon a table.

"Well, _child,_ that just sounds horrible, doesn't it?"

Julie's eyes widened. She recognized that voice. It definitely wasn't Knuckles' voice.

The next moment, the magenta echidna felt a painful searing in her back. A green beam of energy slammed into her, tossing her over the table she stood above. She crashed face-first into the wall, but quickly recoiled. Turning around, she saw Knuckles. Tikal laid on the floor, while he stood tall. His hand was surrounded in a burning green aura, while his eyes were vicious red. A smirk laid upon his muzzle, while a low chuckle escaped his maw.

"Imperator...?" Julie asked, while she held her body in pain.

"The one in the same," he commented, before gazing upon Knuckles body, "Well isn't this new? I don't feel as if this body will burn out on me like many others. Impressive! I think I've finally found a new vessel," his vision shifted back to Julie, "So sorry things have to end for you, however..." he aimed his hand again, "I dare say. Out of all Finitevus' projects, you were always my favorite..."

Face growing hard, Julie suddenly fired her gun. The bullet slammed into Knuckles, err, _Dimitri's_, open hand, causing it to bounce off harmlessly.

"Now why did you try that?" he asked while growing angry, "You know there's no point, right?"

She fired again, this time hitting him square in the face. Just like last time, the bullet bounced off with ease. Growing angry, Dimitri fired a blast at Julie, causing her to leap away for safety. Time and time again, he fired at her with his godly essence, but each strike was a miss. She quickly made her way to Tikal, where she grabbed her. Dimitri continued to rain blasts down upon her, even though they were all misses. It didn't take Julie long enough to realize the Imperator was merely playing with her.

"My this is amazing!" he stated, "This body is as amazing, if not more so than my original one!" he grew serious, "Okay. No body is greater than my original one, but this is a close second," his gaze shifted back over to Julie and Tikal, "Give up, child! You know more than anyone the power I possess! You now you cannot defeat me!"

Julie continued hiding, while her vision shifted down to Tikal. The orange echidna was still, mentally, broken however. But Julie knew she was the only hope for the both of them, and possibly Knuckles as well. But so long as those bonds were clamped on her wrists, they wouldn't get anywhere. Procuring a universal key from her boot, Julie began to fiddle with the bonds lock. Dimitri was constantly moving forward, however. Working under increased pressure, the magenta echidna began to fret. One of Tikal's bounds were released, now the other. Dimitri grew even closer, while his blast destroyed various objects.

"Julie?" he called maliciously, "Julie dear? Please don't make me kill you slowly..."

Finally, the last bond. Tikal was freed, her powers returned, but she remained as silent as usual.

"Tikal!" Julie whispered loudly, "Please! Get up! Get up!"

"He lied..." the orange echidna answered, "He lied to me..."

"Tikal! We're about to be killed! Please! Do something!" Julie begged.

"Why did he lie to me?"

"Why did who lie to you?"

Tikal's eyes flared red.

"THE STARMAN!"

The room exploded.

Objects were thrown every which way, with Dimitri standing firm against it. A red orb was expanding rapidly in the area Tikal and Julie-Su occupied. When it subsided, a certain living Chaos Emerald remained in its midst. Dimitri cocked his head in confusion, while Tikal took a few steps forward. The Imperator cocked his head in confusion, while the tribal princess took wobbly steps forward. Her dreads were flowing upwards, while her eyes were a burning red. She was growling, and chaotic energy was flowing off of her body. He lifted the palm of her hand, aimed it forward, then fired.

Julie brought her head up right when a blue blast slammed into Dimitri's chest. He was tossed back into the wall, creating a dent. Showing rage, the Imperator quickly got back to his feet.

"You dare strike me!? Dimitri!? Foolish maiden! Do you not know who I am!?"

He quickly fired back a green beam, but it didn't have the desired effect. Instead of destroying the girl where she stood, it instead absorbed into her body. The air shifted in Tikal's favor, giving her an even stronger stance.

"I can't believe it..." Julie said as she swallowed her spit, "Two gods are battling right before my eyes... I need to get out of here..."

She ducked back down again, just in time to see two golden rings fly by her vision. Warp Rings in fact. These two rings flew between Dimitri and Tikal, making both combatants pull back. The rings suddenly expanded in size and met each other. Pulling apart, they quickly two beings into existence. A blue hedgehog, and his black and red counterpart.

"Okay Shadow," Sonic said, "I think we're here..."

"Obviously..." Shadow answered with crossed arms, "Let's..." he looked to one side, seeing Dimitri/Knuckles, "Get..." he turned to the other side, seeing a very rabid looking Tikal, "A move... on..."

"Ah... crap..." the blue hedgehog said.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_I swear. Maybe I should make myself an Authorial Avatar. You know, my own mini-me who I envision is writing all these stories. I guess I'm just some black dude who wears warm clothing and always has a pencil on hand. Yeah, a pencil which never loses its sharpness._

_Anyway, I had this chapter in head for the longest time. I wanted some long, grandiose chapter about Tikal, Knuckles, and Julie-Su escaping, with Finitevus hot on their trail. I guess we'll have to wait till the next chapter for the great escape._

_I also argued with myself on having Knuckles possessed or not. Yeah, in the comics, Knuckles becomes Enerjak a few times, but I wasn't sure if I should have him become Enerjak in this story. Sure, I guess you could argue he's not technically Enerjak, but still. He's on his way to becoming a demi-god._

_And some weird spooky stuff with Julie-Su. Apparently, she's not Finitevus' first 'child'. How many did he have before? Who knows? And I bet you're wondering what Julie saw at hall CH-32. I mean, it had to be important, right? Whatever she saw made the echidna turn around and help Knuckles and Tikal escape. But what was it? Only time will tell, my friends. Only time will tell..._

_So what's gonna happen in the next chapter? Ain't it obvious? Calamity always ensues in situations like this. Plus, a certain someone will return._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	19. Aquatic Ambiance

Aquatic Ambiance

Sonic pulled back first, unsure of the mayhem he and his ally had unknowingly entered themselves in. Shadow too stepped back to meet the hedgehog, while his arms uncrossed themselves. The way Knuckles looked was different from usual. Those purple eyes were a burning red, and he looked extremely violent. Well, even _more _violent than usual. There was also a murderous, intense, nearly _godlike_, power oozing from the echidna's body. There was something oddly familiar about that power.

Sonic's side wasn't any better. He too had an echidna with burning red eyes. Tikal's fragility, the frame he had always seen on her, was gone now. She looked haggard, violent even, with such a rabid tone. The blue hedgehog had never seen her look this way, or any being look this way. She was both angry, and yet oddly mindless at the same time. At least, that's the vibe the hedgehog got from her.

"Hmph... perfect..." the Dimitri possessed Knuckles stated, "More targets..." his hand aimed forward, while it was swallowed in a burning green aura, "Prepare to be destroyed..."

He fired, and without warning. Sonic ducked, dodging the blast with extreme ease. Instead, the green beam struck Shadow in the shoulder, causing him to wilt and grovel. Seeing that caused Sonic's blood to begin boiling again. He may not have known Knuckles wasn't himself, but he did know shooting blasts was something the echidna did not do.

"Knuckles!" he barked, "Have you lost your mind!"

"No..." Dimitri answered with a sly smile, "He's just lost his body..."

He fired again, right upon Sonic's position. He underestimated the blue hedgehog's abilities, however. With every shot he took, the hero would dodge it in a sonic sway. He also approached his foe in every dash, eventually getting in Dimitri's face. The blue blur took a punch, only to miss terribly. The Imperator quickly struck him in the gut with a blow so strong, it sent the hedgehog into the sky. Next, he pulled back his foot, then kicked him. The hit connected in the face, sending the hedgehog flying away. He landed into Shadow's awaiting arms.

They looked at each other, then up to Dimitri, seeing the echidna was charging up yet another move. There was no time to dodge it. The Imperator fired a blue blast this time, one which swallowed the hedgehogs whole in an amazing explosion. Once the blast subsided, Dimitri found Shadow and Sonic were still standing, though the black hedgehog had projected a violet shield over the two. Shaking his head in annoyance, Dimitri prepared to do away with the hedgehogs yet again.

His actions were ruined however when another explosion occurred near his body. He was thrown away by the blast, his body slamming into the hull. Growling with rage, Dimitri quickly returned to his feet. Standing there, her head shaking in every which was, was Tikal. The aura surrounding her hands quickly faded away, showing she was the one who attacked him. As if he needed to know.

Dimitri pulled back his hand, charging up yet another attack of chaotic origins. Tikal merely roared; giving her this extreme animalistic vibe. Her mouth was shut when Dimitri fired, however. Like the last time though, the attack didn't have the desired effects. Tikal wasn't destroyed on the sport, or injured in the slightest. Instead, the blast absorbed into her body, causing her to moan in delight. Her body flared up, while she took slow steps toward him. Dimitri fired again, only for her to absorb the blast once more. Cocking his head, the Imperator realized a more 'hands on' action was needed.

The Imperator dashed forward, fists first. He tackled Tikal, and their combined momentum slammed them through multiple objects. The room flared with explosive fists, possibly delivered by the demigod himself. From behind, Shadow struggled to his feet, with Sonic at his side. The two watched the battle play out before them, visages of shock upon their faces.

Was this really happening? They were like titans, those two. Whenever they landed a hit upon one another, the entire base shook lie an earthquake. This created holes in the ceilings and walls, causing the floors to rapidly flood with water. At this state, the entire base would be claimed by the sea.

"We need to stop them..." Shadow stated, his voice as cool as usual.

"Easier said than done..." Sonic mumbled, "Do you have any plans on how we do that?"

"We just need to take Tikal back," he answered, "I'm pretty sure the fight will end because of it..."

"And what of Knuckles?" Sonic asked next, "He seems out of it..."

"Knuckles was possessed by Imperator Dimitri," a woman's voice answered from away, "He's not himself..."

Sonic and Shadow glanced over, seeing Julie-Su leaning against the wall. She was fiddling with her coveted gun, which caused Sonic to rush to Shadow's backside. He may not have actually _died,_ but she did still _kill _him. Or at least try to come close.

"Judging from the fact that his body hasn't disintegrated yet," Julie continued, "Knuckles' body is strong enough to hold is godly spirit..."

"And who might you be?" Shadow asked.

"That's the chick who killed me!" Sonic yelled instead, before he rushed between the two, "What are you doing here!?"

She shook her head however.

"I'm not the person you should be dealing with!" she yelled whilst pointing at Dimitri and Tikal, "If you don't do something soon, we will all die, you realize that!?"

Sonic growled, despite her truthful words. Let's be honest, you'd be quick to disagree too if the person who killed you stood before you. But Shadow laid his hand upon the blue hero's shoulder, quieting him down. Sonic turned around, seeing the dark hedgehog's resolute face. For now, they would have to leave Julie be.

"Fine..." the blue hedgehog grumbled, "Let's deal with the echidnas first..." as the two started walking for them, Shadow withdrew his Chaos Emerald. Sonic did likewise, "So, have any ideas on how to approach this?"

"I'll reason with Tikal, then we'll take Dimitri down together..." Shadow answered coyly.

"Good enough for me!" Sonic suddenly got ready, "I'll take head point!"

Before anyone could say anything, he vanished in a blue blur.

Dimitri slammed Tikal upon the ground; his hand fastened tightly upon her neck. Raising his fists, he hovered the spiked tips just inches from her face. It didn't faze her, however. She retained her rage-filled face of malice.

"Foolish girl!" Dimitri yelled as he applied even more pressure, "Do you not know who I am!? I am Dimitri! Enerjak incarnated! And you!?" he forced his hand down even harder upon her windpipe, "You are just a foolish Emerald who merely _thinks_ she her life is real!" he suddenly created a spear made of energy in his hand, "But do not worry. I shall make your death short and painless!"

He roared out, dropping the spear at the same time. And yet, before he could impale her, a blue sphere rammed into his shoulder. Dimitri was sent flying, though he quickly recoiled and landed on his feet. The blue ball uncurled, revealing himself to be a certain blue hedgehog. Lifting his fists, he showed that he meant business. Unfortunately, so did Dimitri

The demigod gazed upon him, a visage of disappointment on his face. Sonic's attacked was powerful, powerful enough to actually _break_ his arm, right at the elbow. But Dimitri felt no pain. Instead, he gripped his arm, and popped it back into its socket. Gazing upon the action made Sonic pull back in disgust. It seems as if this foe was a bit more than what he expected.

"You will pay for that, rodent..." Dimitri threatened, "Pay with you LIFE!"

He suddenly fired, launching a green beam of energy. Before it could hit Sonic however, a black blur rushed in the way, and swatted the blast out like it was nothing. Sonic was ecstatic to see Shadow, but grew disturbed when he watched the black hedgehog topple over in pain. His entire arm was burning with fire. Just how strong was Dimitri?

The red echidna fired again, but Sonic pulled himself and Shadow out-of-the-way. The blast careened harmlessly into the wall, where it exploded. This created an even bigger hole in the room, which caused water to pour in with even more speed. Dimitri cared not. He prepared himself for attack yet again, but a yellow blast struck him in the face. Charged with electricity, the demigod roared in annoyance while thousands of bolts prickled his face.

Shadow's hand simmered down with power after his attack, while his ruby eyes shifted over to Tikal. Seeing her, all weak and frail, it angered him. He rushed to her side, and scooped her up into his arms, holding her tightly against his body in an embrace so loving. But there was no love coming from her. Maybe he was just too overjoyed with seeing her to notice this. At first, anyway.

"Tikal..." he whispered, "Are you alright?"

"You _lied _to me..." she answered.

Needless to say, that wasn't the answer he was expecting.

Sonic suddenly flew over head, his body flung by Dimitri's fist. Shadow gazed over to the demigod, seeing him slowly approach him and Tikal. His face was filled with searing hatred, and understandably so. Still, Shadow found Dimitri's demeanor to be off. Why? Dimitri wasn't calling him _Starman_. In fact, it seemed as if the echidna had no idea who Shadow was. Did he not remember the hedgehog who _killed_ him?

"You remind me of someone..." Dimitri stated as he charged up another attack, "Someone I _hate_."

He fired. Shadow pushed Tikal to the side, and forced forward his hand. He stopped the blast with his open palm, but this tactic was rapidly proven pointless. Dimitri's blast started to gain position on the black hedgehog, pushing him back and away. Shadow started to charge up his own attack, causing bolts of chaotic energy to spark from his fingertips.

"Chaos..." Shadow whispered at first, "BLAST!"

The entire blast turned as red as fire. Dimitri grew wide-eyed, as he watched his own attack come back. Shadow suddenly pushed it forward, sending his blast forward. When it hit Dimitri, it triggered an explosion of monstrous proportions. Once the dust settled however, it showed the echidna to still be alive.

"Wait..." the Imperator murmured, "I _know_ that move..." he started growling, "I KNOW THAT MOVE!"

And seemingly, from the past, that blast triggered a memory. One he held for thousands of years. For thousands of lifetimes.

_"__WHO ARE YOU!? Be you mortal, or god?"_

_ "I am neither mortal, nor god. I am the Starman. Sent from the heavens, Enerjak. To deal with you."_

The Starman.

Dimitri stared up, gazing into the red hedgehog's eyes. He looked different from how he remembered. The helmet and cape were gone, but he was all the same. That's how the Starman looked without the helmet on, the being before him just lacked on startling detail. The burning golden aura was no longer there. Which meant he was _weak_. The echidna wanted to fry the hedgehog right on the spot, but that would be too quick. No, Dimitri wanted to _feel _his enemy crumble under his hands. He wanted to torture the hedgehog for the next _four thousand years_. Just like he had.

He began marching forward. His hand started to surge with power. The Starman must have realize something, for he was no longer adamant in his ways. Instead, the hedgehog was retreating. He moved farther and farther away, towards the blue being Dimitri had sent flying earlier. The cyan hedgehog struggled to his toes, when the Starman's hands laid upon him.

Then that damned hedgehog said something. Something which made Dimitri's blood go into overdrive.

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

Dimitri dashed forward, right when the blinding green light flared. But before he could stop the hedgehog, and crush his body, the trio escaped. Tikal the Emerald, Sonic the hedgehog, and now the _Starman_, was gone. Dimitri stared at his hands, knowing he failed to get his most hated enemy. Quickly, he curled his hands into his fists, then he rose him high. And finally, whilst roaring out at the top of his lungs, he slammed his fists upon the ground.

His rage triggered an earthquake in the room. Thanks to the battle which raged inside, this area was now rendered useless. Water poured all around him, washing away the many items within the crushed room. The metal door which connected the room to the rest of the base was now sealed permanently. Dimitri stood and walked to the door. Placing his hand on it, he prepared to slip onto the other side. Before he did so however, his red eyes found a pair of golden rings. They flew past him, and vanished through a hole in the wall. Dimitri vanished the next second.

…

The funky strobe lights flashed often. For those who were dancing, it was awesome. Especially since they were expertly in time with the music. Those who weren't dancing were, of course, mingling at the dinner tables. It seemed some individuals were going to be lucky tonight. And those who weren't eating or dancing, was of course wasting money at the slot machines and other gambling places. The poor fools.

Her wings folded in slightly, as she spun around on the bar's stools. Teal eyes shifted up, she stared over her device in her hands to the many people before her. They seemed to not notice that it was she who owned the club. If they did, she'd probably have a few more suitors instead of the usual drunken idiots. But alas, maybe it was better this way.

There was a slight rumble on the dance floor. Some men were probably about to battle each other, for some self-imposed pride. She shook her head. Fights like that was never good for business. Her eyes shifted over, to the hulking robot walking beside. He was wearing a vest much like the rest of her waiters and waitresses.

"Omega," the bat called to the robot, "There's a fight happening on the-" she suddenly stopped, as her eyes noticed a pink hedgehog and mocha rabbit nearing the club's front doors, "Dance floor..." she grumbled, "Can you be a dear and deal with them?"

"Affirmative!" E-123 answered, "Preparing to end a fight!"

"And use nonlethal measures this time!" the bat added.

Omega stopped briefly, before nodding.

"Affirmative..." he said in a tone less than ecstatic.

The bat stood from the bar stool a second later. Placing her hand on her hip, she took a few last sips of her drink. Then she walked off to deal with the young intruders.

"I don't think we should be here, Amy..." the young hare said, her face a blush.

"Aw, don't worry about it, Cream," the hedgehog answered with blatant annoyance, "If anyone comes near, I'll send them flying with my hammer..." she placed her hand on the club's front doors, "Now... just cover your eyes and try not to look at anyone..."

Before she could push the door, it swung open by itself. Amy stepped back, as she watched a certain sultry bat step forward. Seeing the bat made Amy's anger jump a few levels.

"Rouge..." she spitefully whispered under her breath.

"What are you doing here, Amy?" the bat asked with her hands on her hips, "Don't you think this club is a bit to grown up for you and..." she eyed Cream, "Of course you..." the bat couldn't help but to shake her head, "Seriously Amy? The girl is like, what? Six? Seven maybe? This is not model babysitting..."

"Hey! I'm a great babysitter!" Amy barked, "You take that back you little hussy!"

"What are you doing here?" Rouge asked, shrugging off Amy's insult.

"Where's Tikal?" she asked, "I ran to Shadow's house, but she wasn't there. I figured they'd be here with you."

Rouge grew wide-eyed. And no, it wasn't because all of Amy's words oozed toxic venom. The bat really didn't know what she was supposed to tell the hedgehog. Saying something along the lines of 'Your friend's a vampire who tried to kill Shadow' didn't really ring well in the head. Unfortunately, that was the best answer she had. She really didn't know where Tikal was. All Rouge knew is that Sonic had her.

Rouge's mouth opened, to tell the hedgehog exactly what she knew. But before any words could leave her lips, a brilliant flash appeared on the city streets. Rouge, Amy, and Cream gazed to the streets together, as the lights bounced and swayed. A few seconds later, it died out. Shadow was standing there, his body slightly bruised from injuries he sustained. Tikal was holding onto him, her face devoid of any emotions other than depression. And Sonic was there too; struggling to his feet while blood trickled from his nose.

"Man..." he said first, "That was the worst fight I've ever been in..."

He leaned up, causing cracks to echo from his spine. When his eyes opened up, he was happy to see he no longer stood in the ocean base. After rubbing his quills back, he came to terms with Knuckles' situation. The red echidna which was his friend, was now playing host to a demigod's spirit. Sonic was entirely sure this was something he'd have to deal with in the future.

He glanced up and over, seeing Amy. Though the thought of running did come to mind, he was much to weak to actually carry out the plan. It didn't matter. She looked so hurt seeing him like this.

"Sonic?" she called in surprise. Her eyes trekked up to the echidna, "Tikal?" then up to Shadow. She was angry with Shadow, "Shadow..." she said it with such anger.

Before she could rush the hedgehog, a hand gripped her by the back of her collar. Turning back, she saw Rouge, who had a more level-headed disposition.

"C'mon," she said, "Let's head upstairs..."

…

She sat there for as long as could be. In the darkness, not moving, not saying a word. Just staring, out the window. The city was beautiful at this time of night. The many lights of the buildings made it seem as if stars were on the ground.

Stars. She _hated _stars. She _thought_ she knew what stars were. She thought wrong. She _thought_ she knew what _souls_ were. She thought wrong. She _thought_ she knew who _he _was. She thought wrong. Worst of all, she _thought _she knew herself. She. _Thought_. Wrong.

The door opened. The orange echidna straightened herself up. When the air got tense like this, she knew who it was. She always knew who it was. The door closed behind, and she listened to his footsteps. He moved closer and closer, then his black and red arms wrapping around her shoulders. She gasped at the touch. He pulled her back, until their bodies met. Then he kissed her, right at the back of the ear. Actions like these reminded her that he actually _loved _her. It was something she had, admittedly, _forgotten._

She _forgot_ that he loved her. Why? Because demons don't _love_. They only lie. And deceive.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Why did you lie to me?" she answered instead.

"What do you mean?" he asked next.

"I understand now..." she answered, "I know who you are. For sometime after you left me, I tried to figure out who you were, and why you appeared in my life. It became somewhat of an obsession, honestly. I remembered thinking on that day, when you fought Enerjak. Before you ran off, you placed a helmet and cowl on your head. To me, you had finally come into your title as the Starman. But I was foolish, and wrong. You didn't put on the helmet and cape to become a god, you put it on to hide yourself, hide your identity. You put it on to hide yourself from him, from the demon..." she turned and faced him, "You put it on to hide yourself from _Black Doom_."

The hedgehog's eyes briefly widened, only to settle back down. He had never told her that name before, nor had she ever heard it in her life. Then how, how did he know who Black Doom was? It was impossible. Then he realized it, and she seemingly confirmed it. She knew who Black Doom was. She knew that Black Doom was his father.

"Your father is the Devil, Starman..." she whispered, "_You_, are the Devil..."

No, no, this was not Tikal. Not _his _Tikal. She would never call him this. But her eyes confirmed it. Those forest green orbs weren't there. They were a burning, violent, _red_. They were like that when he rescued her, and they had not yet turned back. Ever.

"And there's more..." she stated, "I now understand why everyone hates you, Starman. To us echidnas, you are a hero, a great judge. But to these people, you're a monster, a villain. And I know why. You tried to _kill _them all. Tried to wipe them from the face of the earth with a great gun in the stars. You tried to _kill everyone_," she shook her head and gazed back to the city, "That's not what the Starman does."

They both grew silent. He didn't know how to go upon things. As if it mattered, there was nothing he could say to lighten the tension in the air.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, "Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

"Would you have loved me if I did?" he inquired instead.

"I don't know..." she answered, "You never gave me the chance..."

He straightened himself up, and his arms left her body. She had a point there. He never gave her the chance to know where he came from. But he didn't want her to know, hell, _he himself_ didn't want to know his past. It was always coming back to bite him in the butt. Always. Now was just another moment in his life.

"Why did you find the need to lie to me?" she asked.

"Because of this," he stated angrily, "Because of this..." he groaned aloud and covered his face, "Every time my past is brought into the picture, it drives people away. I didn't want the same to happen to you, like it is now..."

"Like it is now, huh?" she stated whilst gazing away, "Like it is now..."

For the next minute or two, silence was golden. Neither said anything, and Shadow eventually learned Tikal no longer wanted to talk. He stood up, straightened himself up, and exited the room. Upon doing so, the echidna's eyes turned green. She hiccupped, and started crying to herself. Lowly, that is.

She scolded him for hiding information, when she too was hiding information. She didn't tell him who she really was.

…

"So let me get this straight," Rouge commented, "Down below the ocean, there's a base, a base which is pumping out Gizoids by the thousands," she gazed up into the ceiling, "In this base, there are two echidnas, a genius one, and one which has godlike powers, and is currently using Knuckles' body," she gazed back down, "Do I have it right?"

Sonic brought his green eyes away from window, while his hand scratched the back of his neck.

"Yeah," he answered, while gazing at her, "You have it right..."

The bat threw her arms up into the air while groaning. Couldn't their lives go _at least_ a month without any anarchy? Of course not, because people want to see them get into trouble. Realizing this, all Rouge could do was place her face in her palm.

"So what do we do now?" Amy inquired as she shuffled her way closer to Sonic, "I mean, those guys could be plotting anything. Shouldn't we be doing something?"

"Easier said than done..." Shadow's stirring voice echoed from the hall. He walked in, arms crossed, with his usual emotionless face on full display, "Finitevus is guarded by thousands of miles of water. It would be impossible for us to just get there by any ship, designed by Tails or otherwise." he closed his eyes, "And I can't bring us back there, because I Chaos Controlled out of their base, instead of using those Warp Rings."

"Why can't we just Chaos Control back?" Sonic asked.

"I haven't the slightest clue where their base is," Shadow answered as his eyes opened, "Doesn't matter anyway. If we get there, Dimitri will make short work of us, and since he's in Knuckles' body, we just can't destroy him with ease..."

Sonic suddenly snapped his fingers.

"I've got it!" he stated with a smile, "Dimitri may have taken over Knux's body, but he's still tethered to his head, right? As long as we get that head, we can stop Dimitri without having to kill Knuckles."

Shadow's face seemed to harden as he listened to Sonic's words.

"Once again, how are we going to _get _there?" he asked.

Sonic's mouth opened again, but he didn't say anything. Instead, a pair of golden rings flew into the room. Everyone in the room settled their eyes on the rings (with Rouge's eyes gleaming like lights). The rings moved together, expanded, then moved steadily apart. In its wake, it brought a magenta echidna. She was struggling to stand, while her body rippled with injuries. Glancing around at everyone, she suddenly collapsed upon the ground.

"Finally," Julie said through pain, "You have no idea how hard it was to get here..."

…

This new body was _amazing. _Standing was something he had been denied for a good few thousand years. But with this body, he felt as if he could do _anything_. His red eyes shifted over to the jar in the center of the room. He could see his old body, well, the _head _of his old body. Laying silent, for it now lacked his soul. He couldn't help but to tap it, jolting his old head thanks to the touch.

"Yes, yes," he stated, "This is true perfection..."

"Are you enjoying yourself, Dimitri?" the echidna behind him inquired.

He turned around, seeing a very annoyed albino echidna. The doctor's arms were crossed, his cybernetic body slicked with water. He sat down in his usual chair, while the Imperator continued to stand, and marvel at himself.

"Finally, after four thousand years, I can enjoy a body," he chuckled dementedly, causing a slight tremor, "I can taste, I can smell, I can _feel_," he suddenly stopped, "And I plan on feeling a lot of the female species from this point on..."

"Okay, please stop," Finitevus begged, finding the last comment disturbing, "We have a bit of planning to do anyway."

"Really?" Dimitri asked, "Because it doesn't seem like it," he crossed his arms, "The Emerald has escaped, but I can still feel her presence. I can easily fly over there, and bring her back."

"You could, but you wont," Finitevus stated.

"You dare tell me! Dimitri! What I can and cannot do!?" the Imperator roared.

"Calm yourself, Dimitri," Finitevus ordered, "And hear me out. If you fly over there, you _will _destroy everything in your way. And a whole lot of things that isn't in your way. Judging from the Starman's demeanor, I know he will be there, and I know you will fail at killing him. So, this is how the scenario will play out. You'll fly there. You will destroy, lets say, the _entire city._ G.U.N. will know just how dangerous a person you are. The Starman will thus lead them, too are base, where our plan will be set back _another _four thousand years."

He glanced up with a squint, seeing Dimitri gaze down with burning green eyes. He was so angry because he knew Finitevus was right. It was the doctor's job to be right, after all.

"Fine then..." he stated at last, "What is your plan, Finitevus?"

The doctor smiled.

"Easy. I want you to go to Angel Island and find Chaos 0, then I want you to bring him here."

"And the Emerald?"

"I have someone who can deal with that," he answered as he neared the door, "Don't you worry about it..."

Dimitri watched Finitevus exit with a raised eyebrow. After a while however, he thought nothing of it. Closing his eyes, he started to focus on Angel Island. The next instant, he vanished.

Finitevus walked down the long halls of his metallic base. His super computer brain was working at 100% capacity, thinking about every single last outcome of his actions. He knew his actions could be a failure, but those numbers were far less in comparison to his chances of victory.

Hall CH-32. He stopped right outside the door. Trekking his golden eyes up and down the massive steel door, he settled his optics upon the panel to the side. After tapping in its code, he caused the door to open. He moved deeper inside, passing various body-sized pods. They were silver and opaque, allowing no prying eyes.

Finitevus suddenly stopped at one in particular. He glanced over at it while his eyes moved into a cold squint. Stepping toward the capsule, he started to tap the panel beside it.

He couldn't believe he was doing this, but he was. _She _was the last person he could trust. _She _was the only person he knew could get this right.

The pod slid open. Shimmering blue culture fluid spilled out, sprawling upon the ground as it did so. But with the fluid, the naked red body of a female echidna fell. She landed on all fours, while gasps for breath exited her maw. She curled in and out her hands, while her blurred vision returned to normal. After a few seconds, she gazed up into the albino echidna's eyes.

"Get up, Lien-Da," Finitevus commanded, as he removed his cloak to hand it to her, "We have work to do..."

Her breathing grew normal, while her reflective indigo eyes moved into a squint.

"Great," she said as she grabbed the cloak, "Looks like somebody needs my help."

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Another chapter, another battle. And oh, the feels. Alliances forged and broken, while two demented echidnas come closer to world domination. Yes, yes, such fun. So much fun._

_Anyway, this chapter is named after the Donkey Kong theme, Aquatic Ambiance. I was originally going to name it after another DKC theme called Crazy Calypso. Huh, I guess I have Donkey Kong on the mind._

_We also learned what the hell was in hall CH-32. Just so you know, 'CH' stands for Clone Hall. And, apparently, there's 32 of them. Draw your own conclusions for that one. _

_And Lien-Da is back! Yay! Or nay! That cannot be good, as you guys would know. What is she going to do? Well, isn't it obvious? _

_Seriously? Isn't it obvious?_

_I dunno, there's just something awesome about Omega working at Club Rouge. Ya'know, wearing a little vest and stuff. I akin him to a bouncer, though Rouge uses him for a multitude of other things._

_Two words. Lucy Hare._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	20. Domination II

Domination II

We all know the story of the Starman. We know who he is, the mythological figure that is. How he saved the world from the deranged god Enerjak. But little know the story of his other enemies. Well, _one_ other enemy. A female, of all specimens. A woman, a _mother _as well. She bested the Starman, not with bronze, but instead with brains. She was a seductress, a murderer, a torturer, a _monster_.

Mobians get the term 'domini' for domination, from her. As well as 'sadi', _sadism_, just so you know. She's no ordinary person. She's something _worse._

…

He sat back down in his chair; his fingers intertwining with one another. Despite his haggard appearance and uppity nature, he was nowhere near elated at this moment. Sitting in his chair with the computer screen before him, he read the various pieces of information it handed him. A map of the world, details pertaining to his underwater base, locations that comprised various Chaos beings, and such. Angel Island was there, it apparently floating somewhere near. He could only wonder if the Imperator had arrived yet.

The metal doors behind him slid apart in various segments. Her steel-clad boots, clicked into the room, trekking up behind him. Her slender, bare red hands, sat upon his shoulders, and clenched tightly. He groaned lowly, only to stare up a few seconds later. Her indigo eyes stared back; an image of disdain written upon her face. He wheeled around in his chair, to get a better look at her.

She was dressed in that same, tight-fitting, leather attire from thousands of years ago. Her whip, fastened tightly to her waist. A belt, with a heart in the center of it. A spiked choker, wrapped around her neck. Her dreads had finally been done, and the rest of her body was now without water. She appeared so different now, though she was the same exact person.

Well. _Almost_.

"So what is it you want me to do, Finitevus?" Lien-Da inquired, with her usual smug attitude.

"Well aren't we a bit cranky this morning?" he snapped back, as his arms crossed.

"Hey," she answered, "You woke _me _up. Remember that..." her eyes squinted, "Who do you want me to torture, maim, kill, or other wise eviscerate _this _time, Finitevus?"

"Oh, you will love this," he answered as he spun around in his chair. Placing his hands upon the keyboard behind him, he began typing again. The images on the screen changed rapidly, before ultimately settling upon the image of a certain, orange-furred echidna, "Does _she_ ring any bells?"

He turned to face Lien-Da, watching as she made a truly perplexed face. After thinking upon it for a while, she shrugged her shoulders then gazed down upon him.

"Sorry, can't say she does..." the dominatrix answered as she leaned in a few feet, "Cute face though..."

"Strange Lien-Da, I thought you remembered all of your victims..."

"Eh, I have too many to count," she stated, "But I assume you want me to find this girl?"

"Your assumptions are correct." he answered.

"Great," Lien-Da stated with a sinister smile, "I guess I'll be taking my leave now..."

"But be forewarned," Finitevus suddenly said as he spun around to meet her, "She is no ordinary girl. I fully suspect that if she sees you, things will not go your way."

"And I, one again assume, you have something that can... deal with this?"

He couldn't help but to smile. Turning around, he reached under his console to a certain item. Pulling his hand back, he revealed the item to be a glove. But this was no ordinary glove. It would fit over one's entire hand and forearm, hooking itself right at the elbow. With a hole in the center, it seemed to be able to absorb a certain kind of power. What that power was, being closer to home than one would expect.

"I keep it here to absorb Dimitri's powers when he gets a bit too angry..." he turned and handed it to Lien-Da, "It may be thousands of years old, but it still gets the job done."

…

The sand glided off of his titanic body. The only light in the hall came from dimmed light sources. The sun could just barely peek through the cracks in the wall, cracks created by years of wear and tear. At the end of this millennium old hall, there was a sealed container, much like a casket. The red echidna stalked his way near it.

His heavy hands gripped the top of the casket, and he pushed it off. It collapsed onto the ground, cracking into various pieces. Within was the body of an echidna. A _dead_, body of an echidna. But the degraded body was clad in armor. Aged armor, of course. Gold and blue, was still visible however.

He gripped the helmet, and placed it upon his head. The red jewel in the center of the helm gleamed brilliantly. Upon doing so, all the age which held the armor hostage was released. It became as shining and glorious as it could have been, becoming new again. The other armor seemed to float from the body of the dead echidna, instead finding a new master. The various pieces snapped upon the body of the red echidna standing up, eventually covering his body whole.

From head to toe, he was clad in armor. Even his eyes, which were red before, was now held by a green tint. Blue and gold, he appeared to be a god among men. Only his long dreads spilled from the back of his head. There was only one thing missing. He reached down to the side of the casket. The words 'Imperator Dimitri Dux' was engraved upon the stone cell. Beside the name was a staff. He grabbed the green staff, and settled his eyes upon the condor like head.

"It feels so great to be back." Enerajak remarked.

He rose his hand, opened it up, then slammed it into a tight fist. This triggered a quake, which centered around his body, and eventually rumbled throughout the entire construct. His hand quaked with an indescribable power, and seeing this caused him to laugh. His entire body began to glow a wicked color, while his dreads and clothing began to rise skyward. With his green covered eyes, he gazed to the ceiling. A demented smile spread across his lips next.

From the outside, the top of the pyramid exploded. Aged rocks was thrown in all directions, all of which landed in the desert seas. In the middle of the debris, a blue and golden being fly high. His body was surrounded in a burning green aura, which seemed to insinuate his power.

This was a power _none_ should ever see.

…

They all just stared at her. The magenta echidna came from seemingly nowhere. Two rings connected, expanded, and brought her out from thin air. Now she stood in the midst. Julie-Su, before Sonic, Amy, Shadow, Rouge, and Cream.

Then the blue hedgehog exploded. Figuratively.

"YOU!" the blue blur barked suddenly.

He lunged forward, hands first, aiming toward her neck. He moved so fast, only a rare few could have stopped him. Fortunately for the echidna, one of those 'rare few' was standing in the room. Shadow gripped Sonic by his ankles, stopping him in mid-leap, and dropping him to the ground. The blue hero slammed face first into Rouge's shimmering floors, but that didn't lower any of the rage he felt.

"Excuse him," Shadow stated, "He really doesn't like you..." his eyes grew into a squint, "And for good reason..."

"Look, I know I screwed up," Julie stated with her hand on her chest, "But right now, that doesn't really matter!"

"You killed me!" Sonic barked, "And that _doesn't_ matter!?"

"What!?" Amy cried, "She killed you!?" she quickly lunged forward to strike Julie with her hammer, but stopped when on thought came to mind, "Wait, if you're dead, how are you alive?"

"Long story," Shadow interrupted as he walked toward Julie-Su, "So it seems you've left Finitevus, huh?"

"I didn't really have a choice after I helped Knuckles and the Emerald escape," she answered with arms crossed, "You saw how Imperator Dimitri tried to kill me..."

"That may be true," the black hedgehog stated, "But Sonic has a good point. You did try to kill him..." his eyes squinted, "What's stopping you from attempting to betray us?"

"If I wanted you dead, don't you think I'd bring a ton of Gizoids with me?" she inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Shadow thought about her words for a few seconds, before raising and lowering his shoulders. She had a point there; if she did want them dead, she wouldn't have showed up like this. Besides, it wasn't as if Dimitri had a specific reason to send her here. Unless he wanted Tikal, which, then again, she could have just slaughtered them all.

"Ah, I think we can trust the little girl," Rouge said as she stepped her way forward, "She seems so... _innocent_, doesn't she Shadow?" she peered deeply into Julie's eyes, "Besides, you were taking too long to answer."

"Innocent isn't the word I would call her..." Sonic grumbled, while Shadow walked beyond him.

"Well, you brought Warp Rings," the black hedgehog stated, "I guess you are of some use to us..." he suddenly grabbed her tightly, right by the collar, "But if you _do _betray us, I will not hesitate to destroy you on the spot."

She gazed deeply into his eyes. He was not a person who should be agitated, she could tell that from those violent orbs alone. So, nodding, she confirmed his words without giving any of his own. Shadow nodded too, as he realized his words were accepted. Turning back, he started to walk over to Sonic. The blue blur and his black counterpart seemed to switch places, for now the hero was violent and angry. It wasn't his fault. Julie did kill him, after all.

"My father is going to come for you all, you know that, right?" she asked.

"That... Finitevus guy, right?" Amy asked.

"No..." Shadow answered as he suddenly spun around, "Finitevus isn't coming after us. That's not his game..." he squinted, as his gaze shifted toward the window, "There's something _worst_ coming. We need to start thinking up a plan, and quick..."

…

He flew high above the land, his eyes combing the endless fields of green. This game of cat and mouse had become extremely boring. If one could see his face, they would see pure annoyance, though that was impossible thanks to the helmet covering his head.

"Where are you!?" he inquired through the air, "I know you can hear me, don't act like you can't!" he finally stopped. Once he realized there was no answer, he continued his ranting, "Fine then! Be that way!" he placed his hands together, creating a green orb of chaotic power, "Then I will be forced to destroy your precious island!"

The orb increased in strength in power, eventually becoming shimmering green star to those around him. He tossed it down, sending it careening violently toward the earth. The attack crashed into the earth, uprooting grass, dirt, and destruction. The wind began to stir, sending various wildlife running. If nothing was done, the destruction would be apocalyptic for the floating island.

The attack suddenly started to move forward. The echidna flying in the air stared down with wide eyes, as his attack slowly, but surely, moved toward the air. Seconds began to pass, and eventually, the great green attack flew skyward. The echidna dashed back, dodging his own attack. He watched it drift toward space, before settling his eyes upon the ground.

Standing in the swath of destruction, his green eyes glaring toward the godlike echidna, was the aquatic god himself, Chaos. He may have been a silent fellow, but no one challenges the sanctity of Angel Island. He looked different from usual. His brain was visible from within, while his right arm held an interesting highway of, what appeared to be, bones. In the center of these bones, lied a blue jewel. But they were no ordinary bones, they looked to be fashioned out of aged structures.

Chaos 1.

"I see..." the echidna stated as he descended upon Chaos, "So you've finally arrived..." the water god said nothing, "Funny... those Knuckles Tribesmen worshiped you as a god... did they not?" the water god said nothing, "I watched the destruction you carved some years ago, the one at Station Square... Impressive, I must say..." the water god said nothing, "Are you as strong as they say? I've wanted to know for quite some time..." the water god continued to say nothing, "Silent, are we? Fine, I enjoy that. Less talking, you'll just see the power of Enerjak in due time..."

Chaos struck forward. His limb which held bones jutted headfirst, slamming Dimitri square in his face. The attack sent him flying, though he quickly recoiled in midair. When the god's eyes slammed upon the earth, he created lines in the dirt which stretched on for a few yards. Standing tall again, the echidna cracked a few bones in his neck.

"Good hit..." he said, "It will be your last..."

A rock floated down near Chaos' body. A yellow one, in fact. It drifted into his body, causing him to take on yet another metamorphosis. He grew taller, and more muscular as well. His second arm gained its own series of bones, much like the first. The only difference was the jewel encrusted within the left arms hand. It was yellow, as opposed to blue.

Chaos 2.

Enerjak stepped forward, when a clicking seemed to make its way into his mind. He remembered this form of Chaos. It appeared as if his body had faced this creature before. Knuckles has faced this creature before.

"In the hotel... Eggman's doing..." Dimitri suddenly said, "No matter..." he glanced up, "Unlike our last battle, I will destroy you!"

He created yet another sphere of destructive power. Lobbing it forward, he caused Chaos to flatten his body into a puddle, bones included. The blast flew overhead, and gave the water god a perfect time to counter attack. He leaped forward, clearing the distance between himself and Enerjak quickly. When he was just a few feet away, his arm shot out in a fist. He once again punched the god, but this time, Enerjak did not fall back. With his fist shining a magnificent green, the echidna struck back.

His counter attack sent Chaos 2 flying in a sprinkle of water. Despite his aquatic body which should feel no pain, the water god still cried out in injury. The blue and yellow Chaos Emeralds floated in the air, while Chaos quickly regained form. Once he did, the two jewels absorbed into his body. He returned to his Chaos 2 form, though with a sharp glare in his eyes.

Enerjak leaped back, his hands charging with a mystical power. Thrusting both hands forward, he fired a volley of blasts toward his aquatic being. Chaos dashed forward in a stream of water, dodging each attack with ease. When he fell into Dimitri's steps, the water god struck. Like the last time, Dimitri dodged it, but Chaos was a quick learner. When the echidna struck back with a punch, Chaos opened his body, causing the fist to drift harmlessly through his body. Thus, Chaos struck back with a hard fist to the face.

The attack sent Enerjak stepping back, but the Chaos was not finished. He punched the god again and again, causing him to crash into the earth. The water god leaped on top next, only to continuously slam his fist into Enerjak's face. With each punch, he forced the god deeper and deeper into the ground.

But after one punch too many, Dimitri grabbed Chaos' hands. He pushed them back, whilst pulling his own head forward. The green eyes of his helmet began to charge with power.

"You hit like a maiden!" the echidna god insulted.

His eyes suddenly erupted with lasers, which cut through the air like knives. Chaos 2's body was swallowed whole, reducing him to nothing but water fragments. As the first time, he called out in pain, while the yellow and blue Chaos Emeralds dispersed. Once Chaos reformed, the Chaos Emeralds sank into his body, making him Chaos 2 once again.

Enerjak began walking forward, whilst withdrawing his green staff. Chaos, realizing this battle was not in his favor, slammed his foot down. He started to growl, while his body began to bubble and tense. He grew stronger with each passing second, causing Dimitri to step back. Suddenly, a purple jewel flew in from nowhere. Chaos absorbed it, causing his alright impressive body to undergo yet another change.

He sank into a puddle, only to return to an even greater height as before. His figure had changed drastically from the masculine frame as before. Instead, he transformed into a creature of prehistoric proportions. Chaos' size and physique was of a tyrannosaurus-rex. The highway of bones within his body had mutated, creating his spine and legs. His head retained its fish-like structure, however.

Chaos 3.

The water god roared to the skies, causing the land to blow back with an influx of wind. Enerjak stood against all of it, his disposition strong against the cry.

"I see..." Dimitri said as he took note of Chaos' transformations, "It seems I've underestimated you, water god..."

Chaos cocked his head, while his verdant eyes began to shimmer. Then his mouth opened, and from it, he fired a beam of pure energy. Enerjak was caught off guard by the blow, and it swallowed him whole.

It seems he did underestimate Chaos.

Once the beam subsided, he was still standing. This battle was bound to be longer than he originally anticipated.

…

"There..." the magenta echidna said as she tapped the map, "That's where daddy's base is..."

He cocked his head in confusion, finding the location to be odd. Even the blue hedgehog, who was usually ignorant of such a location, found this to be intriguing. Her finger laid right near the outer edge of a bay, a natural one if that. Eventually the magenta echidna stepped out-of-the-way, so the two hedgehogs could get a better look at the location.

"Do you see it?" Shadow asked.

"No..." Sonic answered, "Jeeze... wish Tails was here, he'd tell us what's up..."

The dark hedgehog groaned while he rose his hand. He was about to strike down his blue counterpart, when Rouge stepped in.

"That's Great Bay," she stated, "Usually, its nothing more than an expansive sea land..." she shook her head, then turned to Shadow, "But a very important place is about to _fly_ overhead..."

"Angel Island..." Shadow stated, for he already knew the answer, "Angel Island will be there soon, wont?"

Rouge smiled and nodded.

"A few days from now, if I know my stuff, which I do..." her face grew hard, "Which means that Finitevus person is planning on moving quick. I'm pretty sure Angel Island's pattern and his base overlap for a specific reason."

"Indeed," Shadow answered, "And I figure Tikal matters in all of this..."

"So when do you think his attack is coming?" Rouge asked.

The lights went out.

"Now..." Shadow remarked.

He stood tall and erect. Gazing left and right, he tried to search through the darkness with his ruby eyes. He couldn't see anything, not even his own hand. After a while, he withdrew his Chaos Emerald. Its brilliance brought a faint light into the darkness.

"Well this is just fantastic," Rouge snarled through the shadows, "If the power's out, then Club Rouge is probably out as well," she shook her head, "Which means people are going to start rioting soon. I better tell Omega to keep order..."

While Rouge pulled out her radio to contact her bouncer, her dark ally turned to the others.

"Head count," Shadow said next, "Sonic?"

"I'm here..."

"Amy?"

"Here..."

"Julie-Su?"

"Uh-huh..."

"Cream?"

Silence.

"Cream?"

Everyone seemed to shake at the same time. The cutesy rabbit who was always polite, was no longer answering. Shadow rose his Chaos Emerald higher, causing its shine to stretch further into the room. Unfortunately, as he gazed around, they saw no little girl. Amy was, of course, the first one to explode because of this.

"What!?" the pink hedgehog yelled, "Cream!? Cream! Where are you!?"

She quickly withdrew her hammer and leaped forward with her weapon. Forward where was the true question. Before she could strike any of Rouge's belongings, her hero gripped her by the waist.

"Amy! Slow down! You haven't even seen anyone yet!"

"I swear! If Finitevus or whoever lays a finger on Cream, I will _kill them_!"

"Okay," Sonic said as he dropped her, "Now I'm scared..."

"Amy has a point," Shadow stated as he walked near, "Finitevus is not a man who should be trifled with. If he wants to hurt Cream, he will do so..." he squinted, "He's _that_ evil..." he gazed at his rival, "Sonic, you and Amy check out the left-wing of the this maze-like mansion... Rouge and I will check the right-wing..."

"I get it, so you can check up on Tikal," Sonic stated, "Fine by me... Amy, try not to get _too _frisky..."

"I make no promises..."

Withdrawing his red Chaos Emerald, Sonic brought his own light into the area. He and Amy dash down the halls side by side a moment after. Shadow growled with annoyance before turning to the opposite hall. Rouge got to his side a second later, her Treasure Scouter placed snugly on her head.

"Is that necessary?" he asked coldly.

"Hey, if one of these intruders took a jewel of mine, I will know..." the bat snapped back.

"What about me?" Julie asked.

"Just stay here, and call if something happens..." Shadow ordered, "But first..."

He walked back to her. While she stepped back, he reached forward, and forcibly pried the rings from her hands. Shaking them in her face, he made sure she knew how he felt. That is, he really didn't trust her.

"Shadow?"

"I'm coming..."

The two dashed into the hall, leaving Julie-Su alone in the mansion's living room. The echidna stepped back, finding their lack of trust to be cold. It's not like she didn't deserve it, however. As bad as it was to open up old wounds, she did shoot Sonic in the neck and kill him. Which reminded her, how the hell did he survive that? Whatever the case may be, she was alone in the dark. With a supposed intruder on the loose.

Until she felt a total lost of air. She gripped her neck, feeling a thin wire around it. Trying to fight it off was pointless, for it constantly increased its hold. Trying to scream also didn't work, thanks to the very same wire. She fell onto her back, cracking her head against the stone pavement of the floor. She tried to get to her feet, but a foot struck her in the chest. All the wind left her immediately.

Consciousness began to leave her. Those reflective purple eyes of her stared up to see purple lights gaze back. And of course a foot, which knocked her clean out.

"Don't you look familiar?" Lien-Da stated, "Oh well..."

…

Enerjak fell back, his body rushing through various carnival equipment. Shaking his head clear of the daze which naturally ensued, he stared forward to see a stomping monstrosity. Chaos 3 was still attacking him, and with stronger movements as well. What an annoying opponent.

Chaos struck with one of his tendrils, driving through various structures. Enerjak scoffed at the attack and swatted it clear with the slash of his hand. With one tentacle down, he neglected to deal with yet another attack. Shoulder turned, Chaos struck his defenseless area. The strike sent him toward the sky, though he quickly recovered. Upon doing so, the echidna fired down yet another volley of blasts.

Chaos roared at first, before counterattacking with his own volley of yellow blasts. Growling, Enerjak slammed his fists together. This projected a shield which blocked off any more strikes. Once his shield fell, Chaos struck with a well-timed blast to the face.

Enerjak fell toward Balloon Park Zone in a spiral, eventually crashing into one of the zone's many marry-go-rounds. Gazing up, he watched as Chaos 3 stomped upon the land with his t-rex like feet. He crushed many constructs beneath his toes, whilst clearing the distance between himself and his foe. Enerjak quickly got up, while counterattack with a beam to Chaos' face. The aquatic god merely shrugged off the attack however, as he continued to march his way forward. He delivered another roar, which sent shock waves through the land.

The echidna god was thrown back, but not too far. He opened the palm of his hand, causing a lightning bolt to fall into his palm. Pulling it back, he tossed the bolt forward. It struck Chaos in the chest, causing his entire body to surge with electricity. The water god suddenly exploded, throwing water everywhere. Enerjak watched as the three jewels which compromised Chaos body floated in the air, all of them searching for the water god's next revival spot.

Enerjak wasn't about to let that happen.

He dashed forward, right when Chaos' body lunged forward. He grabbed one of the Chaos Emeralds, snatching it before the water god could reform his third form. When the yellow and blue Chaos Emeralds were absorbed, Chaos became Chaos 2. Enerjak stared down upon this with a malicious eye, as he chuckled dementedly.

"Fool..." he insulted, "Should have paid more attention..."

He suddenly pulled back the purple Chaos Emerald in hand, and threw it with all its might. It flew away into some direction, Enerjak really didn't care.

"Real gods need not rely on such tools for victory!" he continued to gloat.

Once again, he ate fist.

…

"I swear! If they put a finger on Cream, I'll, I'll-!"

"Calm down, Amy, jeeze... You make it seem as if the worst has happened..."

They stalked together and alone through Rouge's silent hall. The bat's home was much bigger than they could have ever imagined. Every hall lead to an endless spread of doors and more halls. It was insane, to say the least.

"Do you really think Finitevus would hurt Cream?" Amy asked, while some of her vigor died down, "I mean, I know he hurt Vanilla but... Cream's just a child..."

"I don't wanna take any chances..." the hero replied.

Their eyes suddenly caught a hold of a sight. There was light pouring through the sides of a door. This was, of course, impossible, because the power was out. So how was there light in that room?

Sonic stalked closer first, with Amy steadily behind him. She rose her hammer, while he readied his fists. His hand graced the edge of the door knob first, before it suddenly started to spin on its own. The light went off, right when the door opened up.

The carnage which ensued was blinding to say the least. Sonic himself didn't get the chance to throw a punch, Amy did all the fighting for him. He could hear the walls and floors being crushed by the pink hedgehog's hammer. Yet he didn't hear her actually _hit_ anyone.

"Amy, calm down!" he yelled as he rose the red Chaos Emerald.

With its light in the room, he showed the destruction she caused. And yet an intruder was not amongst it all. Boy, once Rouge walked down this hall and saw the various craters and holes Amy created, the bat was surely going to be pissed.

"Where'd he go?" she asked.

"I'm... not sure he was ever here..." Sonic stated.

A person fell into frame shortly after. She twirled down, her floppy brown ears keeping her a float before landing. Amy grew wide-eyed at this little girl, Sonic too, while the young rabbit shot them glares of anger.

"What's your problem!?" Cream yelled, "You half scared Cheese to death!"

The small Chao was hugging his owners head tightly, while he babbled incessantly through fear. It was for good reason though; no one should be on the receiving end of Amy's angry side.

"Just what did you think you were doing!?" Cream continued to scold with a wagging finger, "Where do you get off attacking me like this!?"

Never being stuck in this position, Amy answered the best way she could. Through, babbles, that is.

"Uh... so-so-sorry, Cream, I didn't..."

"And you, Mr. Sonic!" she barked next.

But the blue hedgehog wasn't paying attention to her. Instead, he gazed into the room Cream exited from. How did it have power if the rest didn't?

"Cream, where were you just now?" he asked with his back turned.

"In the bathroom..." Cream answered.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" he inquired next.

"You were all so preoccupied with grown-up talk, I just excused myself..." she sulked back a bit, "Mom told me it was rude to interrupt when grown-ups are talking, after all..."

"So it was a bathroom?" he remarked as his finger finally found the light switch.

Once he clicked his fingers beside it, he caused the lights to come on once again. Much like everything else, the bathroom was pristine, shiny, and rich, reflecting Rouge's higher standard of living.

"Why does the bathroom have lights in it?" he asked.

"I think Ms. Rouge has a back-up generator which powers the bathroom. It would make sense."

Sonic rose an eyebrow.

"How do you know this?" the blue hedgehog asked as she turned around.

"Around last years stormy season, my mother bought a generator. She spent an entire day trying to work the thing. She was only able to get it to charge up certain rooms..." she placed her finger to her lips, "Maybe Ms. Rouge did the same, just to the bathrooms."

"That... doesn't make any sense..." the hedgehog murmured, "Rouge is rich enough to charge up the entire mansion with a back-up generator, why just the bathrooms?"

"Wouldn't you charge up your bathrooms if you had the chance?"

Sonic stopped. He didn't really have an answer for that.

"Well, you got me there..." he gazed up, "C'mon Amy, let's run back to... the... others...?"

Amy wasn't there. Cream, who was unaware of the trouble, merely called for her friend a few more times. Sonic, on the other hand, realized how bad this was. He quickly grabbed the small rabbit beside him and pulled her close. Raising high the red Chaos Emerald he made its shine spread over the immediate area. Amy was no longer near, though her hammer was on the ground.

That wasn't right.

"Cream," he suddenly whispered, "I want you to run and scream as fast and far as you can that way," he pointed toward the area he ran from, "Do you hear me?"

She didn't say anything, though a nod came with her. After he relinquished the hold he had on her shoulders, she took a few steps back. Then she bolted while at the same time scream. Sonic stood tall on the other hand, and once again rose his Emerald. Walking toward Amy's hammer, he lifted it and laid it upon his shoulder.

"I know you're here..." he stated, "So why don't you come on out and show yourself. And where's Amy?"

He heard footsteps echo behind him. He turned around, just to see an armor clad echidna, with glowing purple eyes. Amy was on the shoulder of this woman, knocked unconscious from an unknown blow. The echidna lifted and tapped the back-end of her helmet, causing it to recede. It showed her face; an adult woman with these indigo. Her hair was a curt mixture of curls and dreads, one of which was clad entirely in armor. Much like one of Julie-Su's dreads. In fact, this woman looked a whole lot like Julie-Su, only older.

"You hedgehog sure have a fiery temper, don't you?" she snickered maliciously.

"Who are you?" Sonic asked, "And what have you done to Amy?"

"She was annoying," the echidna said, "I shut her up..."

She suddenly dropped the pink hedgehog, allowing her body to fall into the ground.

"She wasn't too fun..." the echidna said, "Will you be?"

Sonic rose his fist.

"I assure you, I'll be _loads_ of fun..."

He dashed forward.

…

"Tikal!?"

He opened the door. Even through the darkness of the room, her red eyes gleamed like lights. She was still there, which made the hedgehog breathe a sigh of relief. If only her eyes would go back to being green.

But one thing at a time; Shadow turned around to Rouge. The bat was still fiddling with her treasure scope, and appeared as nonchalant as usual.

"Found anything yet?" the hedgehog asked, to which his ally shook her head.

"Sorry, nothing and no one's popped up yet..." she couldn't help but to sigh, "What a let down. I'm beginning to think nothing's happened. I'm going to send Omega to check up on the power box."

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

"CHAO! CHAO!"

Shadow and Rouge gazed down the hall. The image of a small rabbit came into view, only stopping when she finally stood before the two herself. She skidded into Shadow's arms, who held her in place.

"Cream?" he murmured, "What's going on?"

"Mr. Sonic is, is... he's fighting someone back there!" she answered, "I heard... a _whip_..."

"A... whip...?" he asked of her.

She nodded.

There was only one person Shadow knew who had a whip, and it drove him mad.

Lien-Da.

Footsteps began to echo from the hall. Cream dove her face into Shadow's chest, while he and Rogue gazed on into the darkness. The footsteps got closer and closer, prompting Shadow to raise his green Chaos Emerald. The light stretched on, revealing the intruder. It was Sonic, who appeared battered and injured, while an unconscious Amy sat on his shoulders.

"She must be some sort of vampire..." he stated woozily, as he struggled to stand, "I couldn't hit her... it was too dark..." he fell on his knees, "And boy did she hurt..."

Then on his face. Sonic was out cold. Cream covered her mouth in fear, while Shadow stepped near his rival. Grabbing the red Chaos Emerald from off of Sonic's person, he stared up to the halls. He could feel the air shiver and quake thanks to the change brought on by Sonic's appearance.

"Rouge..." he whispered, "Hide with Cream and Tikal... make sure nothing happens to them..."

"I have the distinct feeling that you _know _our attacker..." the bat stated, "Care to share?"

"In due time..." he answered, "Just make sure everyone's safe..."

He stepped beyond Sonic, and his skates flared. Zipping into the darkness, Cream reached out for him. She didn't want him to fight some unknown assailant by himself. But Rouge placed her hand upon her shoulder, which quieted the child down. Saying nothing, she merely signaled for her to enter Tikal's room, while she walked off to get Sonic and Amy.

…

It didn't make any sense. He stole one of the rocks which gave the god power, yet it felt even stronger than before. What was the meaning of this madness?

The echidna god stood on his feet, while he twirled his green staff in his hand. Glaring forward, Enerjak watched as the rusting steel was thrown toward the air. Once again, the water god he battled stood feet away from him. The bones in his arms were still adorned in two great jewels, the very same jewels which gave him power. Chaos 2 crushed the very ground he walked upon, while his green eyes shined like diamonds.

"You have truly proven to be an interesting foe," the echidna god remarked, "Though I took away one of the Chaos Emeralds, you seemed to have grown even stronger than before."

Chaos 2 struck him with a punch, though Enerjak dodged it with ease. He thus countered with a punch, one aimed directly at the water god's head. Chaos slipped away from the punch, and countered with one of his own. It struck Enerjak in the face, making him fly back. In his pain, he struck with a kick, and hit Chaos in the side. The strike tore the water god in half, causing him to reduce to a puddle, and reform somewhere else.

"If I didn't know any better," Enerjak murmured as he watched Chaos 2 return to stance, "I'd say you were getting stronger the longer this fight went on..." from beneath his helm, the echidna god's eyes widened, "Wait. That's it! You _are _getting stronger the longer this fight goes on!"

Staring at his hand, Dimitri watched it quake with Chaotic energies. Suddenly, Chaos 2 rushed him, slamming the echidna into the wall of a long abandoned rocket silo. Enerjak gripped Chaos by the arms, holding the destructive god in place as well. The two glared into one another eyes, but Enerjak found his trekking to his arms. Just as he suspected, he watched a slight green aura flirt from his body, and into Chaos'.

He was right. Chaos was getting stronger the longer this battle went on. Chaos was stealing Enerjak's powers. But now, Enerjak himself knew this. He smiled, which went invisible thanks to the helmet on his head. Using his godly abilities, Enerjak shifted the frequency of his aura. Instead of oozing a green color, his aura was now a red color. Chaos seemed to notice this, but he ultimately ignored it.

Until it was too late, that is.

The water god found his body bubbling in pain. The Chaos Emeralds within his body fell, reducing him to Chaos 0 once more. What's worse, he could no longer stand straight. He fell to his knees, and surrendered the hold he had on Enerjak's body. The echidna god before him gloated with laughter, as he stared down to his failed foe.

"You were an interesting foe," Enerjak stated with a low chuckle, "Had the fight progressed any further, I'm sure Angel Island would have been destroyed," he crouched down to Chaos level, "You should be lucky I'm allowing you to live. You do, after all, play an important role in our plan, and so does this floating landmass..."

Enerjak stood back, and formed a red sphere in his hand. This one was different, however. This did not hold the same properties of an attack, unlike most of his Chaos born objects. The red sphere grew larger and larger, eventually becoming tall enough to hold a fully grown man. Pushing the ball forward, it drifted toward Chaos.

Yes, it wasn't an attack, it was a cage. The sphere swallowed Chaos whole, yet without injury.

"Finitevus, I've gotten Chaos..."

"Finally," the albino echidna answered, "Return to base. Things are coming to a close..."

…

He skid to a halt into the center of the room. His foot moved into a body, making him crouch down. The black and red hedgehog grazed his fingers alongside the body, whilst drifted his Emerald down to get a better view of the person.

"Julie-Su?" Shadow said to the silent individual.

She groaned. She was alive.

"Lien-Da!" the hedgehog yelled, "I know you're there. Show yourself!"

"You hedgehogs are quite the perceptive type," the echidna answered, "Always know I'm here despite my actions to avoid detection. And, most surprising of all, you know my name. Tell me, have we met?"

"Unfortunately..."

He suddenly spun around and delivered a kick, one aimed directly at her head. She dodged it with ease and leaped back, though the attack did catch her off guard. Shadow stared along the woman's frame; she was the exact same person. Same height, same age, same indigo eyes, same sadistic intent; it was all there.

"Lien-Da..." the hedgehog murmured under his breath.

"You know, you look really familiar," she answered, "I somewhat feel as if we've... _done this_ before... Oh yessss..." she leaned forward, "I'm going to _enjoy_ breaking you..."

"Not if I break you first..."

Lien-Da leaped forth.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Who-hoo! We broke twenty chapters! That's a lot, right?_

_Well, this chapter is called Domination II which technically makes it a part two chapter to something else. Ddd because there is no Domination I, in this story. But there is Domination chapter in Tribal Dance. In that chapter, we saw Lien-Da fight Shadow outside Cielo Isla, while here, we see Lien-Da go all horror on people, with her taking out the lights and various other people. So much fun._

_Also, Enerjak battles Chaos. Enerjak also presents an interesting entity within this story. You see, Enerjak is Dimitri, though Dimitri is also inside of Knuckles. So let me dispel any confusion. Hold on too your seats for this one. Ffffffff... okay... Dimitri is Enerjak, but he's not completely Enerjak. Remember, Shadow killed Enerjak/Dimitri thousands of years ago in the last story. But I told you earlier, Dimitri survived because he still holds Enerjak's powers. He's nowhere near as strong as he was when he was completely Enerjak, but he's no weakling either. In the last story, when Dimitri became Enerjak, he no longer referred to himself as Dimitri, instead going as Enerjak throughout the rest of the story until he died. In this story, Dimitri retains his original personality and is still Dimitri. He's not completely Enerjak._

_Crap, I think I made more confusion than getting rid of it. Long story short, Dimitri is still Dimitri, he's just calling himself Enerjak now because he feels godly. Honestly, he's not too far of the mark with that one._

_And more Enerjak confusion deals with his clothing. In the last story, I depicted Enerjak as wearing his Dark Mobius attire which was gold and black, while in this story, Enerjak is wearing his Dimitri Enerjak clothing which is the gold and blue. Darn, I'm making more confusion. Wait a sec. In the last story, Dimitri became Enerjak, and wore Enerjak clothing that Knuckles wore. While in this story, Knuckles is technically Enerjak, and is wearing clothing Dimitri wore when he became Enerjak in the comics. I'm just confusing people again, I'm going to be quiet now._

_Originally, this chapter was going to be longer, but I guess I'll have to save some of that stuff for later. Sorry you guys._

_Also, you'll probably have to wait a bit for the next chapter. It won't come out tomorrow, is what I'm trying to say. I've decided to write something original of mine and post it on deviantArt (and maybe Fictionpress). So the next chapter will come out after I've written my original stuff. If you ever feel the need to see my own characters in action, feel free to read my story on my dA page. When it comes out, that is. I just thought I'd give you all a heads up, ya'know?_

_Its Saturday. If you wanna challenge me and my Pokemon when I'm using Leaf, give me the heads up. I'll try not to disappoint. Key word being 'try'._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	21. Countdown

Countdown

Her whip retained its deadly accuracy. When she struck, he was given little to no time to react. Still, he was ever so resourceful. In a dark blue, he leaped out-of-the-way, causing her whip to crack harmlessly into the earth. The Ultimate Lifeform tucked and rolled into a ball, keeping his momentum up as he skidded to a halt. When he peered back into the shadows where he fought the demented seductress, he found his eyes laying upon nothing. Slowly, he returned to a standing position; his fists at his side.

Eyes moving into a squint, he combed the area around him with his expert vision. Her callous snickers, and cackling laughs echoed throughout the halls and the room. She was berating him, belittling him even. With every laugh, he felt that she both pulled him close, yet pushed her away.

The millenniums had not changed her in the least bit. She was the exact same person. The _exact_ same person. But how could this be? He watched her be snatched up by a tornado with his own eyes. Then again, he watched Finitevus be destroyed by Enerjak, and he killed Dimitri himself. Echidnas were hard individuals to kill, the hedgehog knew this now. And yet, it only seemed as if the _evil_ ones, were the ones that survived. Just his luck.

As he took a battling position, Shadow couldn't help but to feel she was _different_. He knew she was the same person, but she didn't seem to recognize him. Call him a bit narcissistic but, how could she forget who he was? He, in a way, killed her. But earlier, she didn't seem to know who he was. What were her words?

_I somewhat feel as if we've… done this before…_

His eyes widened, and just in time too. He leaped out-of-the-way, yet the whip still met its mark. Feeling the searing pain of his flesh ripping thanks to the wire, caused Shadow to groan. When he landed, he fell over one knee, his eyes closed. Sonic was right; she must have been some kind of Vampire. The dark hedgehog could barely see in front of him, yet she retained such grace within the darkness. A change thanks to the times passed? Perhaps.

His ears perked and twitched. She was getting closer. Still with his eyes closed, he put on a ruse. His hand, however, began to charge up a hidden power. She continued moving closer, now being only a few feet away. Right when she was prepared to strike, he did so first.

Leaping back, Shadow fired a yellow bolt of energy from his fingertips. It flew through the air, illuminating the mansion halls with its glow. Right before it struck her, he watched those indigo eyes of hers brighten up like the night sky.

His Chaos Spear connected, causing the entire area to shake wildly due to explosion. Shadow stood up tall, right when the bright shine of his attack died down. He was no fool, however. He knew she was still alive. If she survived what they went through thousands of years ago, then she could survive that. Yes, even he had to admit it.

"You… son of a… BITCH!" her voice roared.

Lien-Da stepped clear from the explosion, her face now rage filled. She was injured due to the blow, which would anger anyone obviously enough. But that wasn't the cause of her rage, no, no, it was her clothes. Shadow's Chaos Spear tore visible holes in her shirt and pants, rending them quite useless. And that drove her ballistic.

"You just had to go and ruin my clothing, didn't you!?" she barked, "Now I'll have to get new ones!" she rose her whip, causing it to crackle in the air, "I hope you're happy!" her eyes squinted, "Because now I'll have to use that fur of yours!"

She struck again with her whip, cutting through the air with great ease and finesse. Shadow, being the speed demon he was, leaped over the strike with little time. When he landed on the ground again, however, he was surprised to find her tackling him to the ground. She sat on top, a face of lust and deranged sadism on her face. With that whip, she wrapped it tightly around his neck.

This was her MO, after all. Strangulation, or more likely for her, erotic asphyxiation. She gained some perverse pleasure from strangling her victims, straight to the point of death. But Shadow wasn't about to let this happen. Not _again_, anyway.

He rose his hands, causing it to cackle with power once more. Slamming it upon her shoulder, he forced as much electricity into her body as he could muster. Unfortunately for him, Lien-Da _loved _that feeling. She moaned from the feel of her body being pumped by thousands of volts. This, in turn, caused her to apply even more pressure to her hold. But Shadow would not be bested. He charged up his other hand with as much power he could, and then he placed it upon her other shoulder. His powerful charges caused an explosive reaction

Literally.

The echidna atop him was thrown away by the explosion, only stopping when her back met the wall. Shadow struggled to his feet next, gasping for as much air as he could. He hadn't realized the whip was still around his neck. Lien-Da pulled on it, causing his windpipe to shut once more. With a violent pull, she yanked him to the ground, face first, and then pulled him over. The heel of her boot constantly mashed down upon his head, slamming over, and over, and over, and over again.

No, not again. He would not be bested by Lien-Da _again_. The first time was a fluke, one he reprimanded with their battle at Glyphic Canyon. She may have had the upper hand in the beginning, but not in the end. This was a battle that he was going to win.

When her foot slammed upon his face one last time, he forced himself up. He pushed up her leg, inadvertently tossing her to the ground. The hedgehog was angry now, if that weren't obvious before. His black fur had a burning red aura flowing from it, and his pupils had been replaced by a milky white. The hedgehog slowly step forward, his face harboring no emotions save for rage.

And Lien-Da? She continued to smile. Yes, even when death was assured, she smiled. Shadow didn't care; let her smile to her death. She should just be thankful he was going to make it quick.

He aimed his hand forward, charging up one more attack. This Chaos Blast was going to evaporate her where she stood. Lien-Da prepared herself for evasive maneuvers. The poor fool; she didn't know the dangers he placed herself in. There was no dodging this attack, hell, there was no _enduring _it either. She would just get hit, and die. It was as simple as that.

He fired, sending a red blast of pure destruction toward her. She dropped her whip, instead revealing a silver gauntlet which sat on one of her hands. Shadow's eyes widened. That gauntlet, it was the same one used thousands of years ago. The same one used on _him_.

The Chaos Syphon.

Just as before, his chaotic blast was swallowed whole by the glove, rendering it pointless. Once again, Lien-Da got the best of him. He was so shocked by this, his aura fell away, giving the echidna ample time to act. She leaped forward, her hand slamming down upon his shoulder. Before Shadow knew it, he was getting weaker and weaker. _Again_.

"If we kept fighting," Lien-Da said as she caused Shadow considerable pain, "You would have killed me, even I have to admit that…" she closed her mouth to smile maliciously, as he fell to his knees, "But you men are all the same. Only brute force, never tactics…" though he tried to fight it off, Shadow found his body failing, "And it is because of this that you fail…"

She removed the glove right in time. Shadow fell face first, his body as silent as could be. Lien-Da gazed down upon him with a cocked head, finding the battle to be such a disappointment. Sure, he lasted longer than Amy or Sonic, but he still didn't do much. Finitevus made him out to be such a dangerous opponent, but it seemed as if the albino echidna was only blowing out hot air.

Her reflective indigo eyes fell upon the glove. The meter which judged how much energy within was only _half _full. Strange, she remembered absorbing more energy from the hedgehog than that. Whatever…

Lien-Da lifted her hand in preparation. Aiming it toward Shadow's head, she was ready to do away with him. But a red light gleamed through the darkness. The echidna gazed up right in time, while bullets tore through the darkened halls. She leaped back and away, eventually escaping down the hall.

Heavy metal footsteps walked up next, revealing a certain robot. E-123 Omega gazed down to Shadow, while his guns barrel oozed smoke. He reached down with his claw, grabbing his ally by the shoulder. Helping Shadow to his feet, the robot was surprised to see the hedgehog was still conscious, albeit, barely.

"Omega?" Shadow grunted, while he hunched over in pain.

"You are in need of medical assistance!" Omega stated, "Shadow, your Chaos Levels are low, and your body cannot take it…"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't take," he snapped, "I'll be fine. Just hurry up and get that witch…"

Omega nodded shortly after. The thrusters on the back of his back ignited, as he quickly gave chase. This left Shadow alone. The Ultimate Lifeform struggled to his feet, eventually laying his back upon the wall to keep standing. His head was throbbing with pain, pain partially caused thanks to the Chaos Syphon.

But that wasn't it. He had a lot more energy, Lien-Da shouldn't have been able to absorb it all. There was no way he was losing this much power. Not from something so unnatural anyway. The Chaos Syphon had changed over the thousands of years that had to be it. Shadow even remembered destroying the original one.

But what of Lien-Da herself? She was, for lack of a better word, stronger than last time. More resilient. He had to take into consideration not only her battle against him, but her battle against Sonic as well. She was able to take down the both of them, by herself? Judging from Sonic's tired position, he didn't just stand around and let her hit him. He actually fought.

She was stronger, much stronger. _Too_ strong, in fact. There was no way Lien-Da was able to take down, arguably, the world's strongest. Not by herself, and not even under these conditions. He didn't know what she did over the past four thousand years, but it sure as hell wasn't sleeping.

After catching his breath, and settling his mind, Shadow began to limp off down the hall.

…

"The Starman has failed..."

She said it so methodically, so heartlessly, so uncaring like. Her emotionless face continued to stare into their eyes, as they came to terms with her words. The white bat cocked her head first, while the mocha-furred rabbit gazed back in confusion.

"The Starman has failed?" Little Cream said in confusion, "Miss Rouge, what does she mean by that?"

"Yes, what do you mean by that, Tikal?" Rouge inquired with a venomous eye, "Care to elaborate?"

"The Starman has fallen..." she repeated, "He doesn't feel the same..." her red eyes started to falter, "The Starman has failed..."

"Why don't you shut up...?" Rouge snarled.

"No, I understand..." Sonic's voice interrupted, as the hedgehog pulled himself up from the bedside, "That echidna, Rouge. She's no ordinary echidna..." he closed his eyes as a wince took over, "I just couldn't hit her, she was like a ghost..." he shook his head, "If Tikal says Shadow got beat... I hate to say it but..."

The door flew open. She stood there with a broken smile, interrupting the pleasant silence which the group stood in. Her whip in hand, and eyes those of daggers, she glared down upon her little _victims._

"Dammit..." Sonic grumbled first, as he weakly got to his feet.

"Well now, what a surprise," Lien-Da cackled, "I see you are still awake, blue one. Ready for me to change that?"

"We'll see..." the hero retorted.

He should not have been trying this. He should have stayed asleep, that would have been better for him. But, no, instead he stood up, fists raised, green eyes locked firmly upon his foe. There was no way he was going to win this battle. She was going to whip him to death, and that's if he's _lucky_.

Lien-Da began to twist and twirl her whip in the air, while Sonic grew tenser. He was ready to sacrifice himself for his friends; that's what heroes do. Fortunately for him, he didn't have too. Rouge's hand laid upon his shoulder, and she carefully nudged him back. Before he could mount an argument, he felt Cream's hand grasp his. One look at her was enough to silence him.

"You echidnas are all the same," Rouge berated, "Hardheaded red furs who don't know the meaning of knocking before entering..." her eyes grew into a squint, "And you had the audacity to knock out my power. If this interferes with my club, I will be forced to punish you for this..."

"And who are you to talk to me like that?" Lien-Da inquired out of annoyance, "I recommend you get out of my way, girl!"

"Me? A girl!?" Rouge barked back, "I'm not sure if I should be belittled by some hag!"

"HAG!?"

When Lien-Da leaped forward, Rouge leaped back. The echidna crashed into the rug covered ground, but quickly recoiled. Rolling onto her feet, she whipped at the bat that now flew just above her. Rouge flew out-of-the-way safely; her body coming in contact with the wall. Still working off of rage, Lien-Da whipped in her direction in again, yet she again, missed.

But Rouge felt the pressure her opponent was applying. Leaping from the wall, she placed her hands on her lips and blue a kiss. But this was no sign of affection; from Rouge's lips, a purple and blue sparkling sphere of power was thrown. Lien-Da was caught off guard by it, and as such, did little to actually dodge it.

The sphere disbursed like a bubble upon impact, throwing the dominating echidna away. Lien-Da crashed into the furniture within the room, but quickly returned to her feet. Gazing up, she watched as Rouge slowly descended upon the earth. As one could tell, Lien-Da was not amused. It was time to kick things up a notch.

Lien-Da began to sway her whip in the air. Rouge prepared herself for battle, but nothing could prepare her for what would happen next. The echidna pressed a button on her whip's handle, causing the black wire to grow a bright blue. To everyone's surprise, the whip started to expel electricity.

Lien-Da suddenly sliced the air with her electrical weapon. Rouge drifted it clear of the attack, but she underestimated the echidna's craftiness. The wire wrapped around her leg skillfully. At first, the bat felt nothing, but a second later, her body was roaring thanks to thousands of volts of electricity. Lien-Da electrocuted Rouge for what felt like forever, before finally releasing the bat. She was silent; her body immobile, and as such the bat fell to the ground.

Lien-Da stepped forward with a malicious smirk. She stretched out her whip; readying herself to kill the foolish bat. But one straight fist, dashed across her cheek. She bent back, for the area before her was occupied by Sonic. He should have stayed down, it would have been better for him.

The echidna grabbed him. It was fast, so fast, he barely had enough time to gasp. The next moment, he was in a sleeper hold. Lien-Da applied as much pressure to her grasp as she could, stealing the already little air Sonic had. He tried fighting back, but his body was much to weak to actually do so. Before he knew it, he was out like a light.

She dropped him shortly after, her attention now shifting to the red-eyed nubile princess away from her. Tikal said nothing, and did nothing. She just stared out the window, as if the battle never happened behind her. Lien-Da cared not; it just made her job easier. She continued walking forward, saying nothing and doing nothing, other than raising her hand. But before she could grasp the orange echidna, a little girl stepped in the way.

"Please... No..." Cream begged, growing tears visible in her eyes.

She must have had a soul filled with courage to do this. She witnessed the power Lien-Da had, yet she still chose to stand in the echidna's way. Hell, Rouge, Amy, _and_ Sonic, laid defeated in this very room. This wasn't even a battle she could _hope_ to win. She knew this, and Lien-Da knew this. The echidna crouched down, getting into eye-level with the rabbit. Then she cocked her head, and gestured toward the door.

"Leave girl..." she said, her face without emotion, "Or else..."

Hey, Lien-Da may be heartless, but she would not hurt a child. _Maybe_.

"Chao... Chao...?" Cheese stammered as he appeared on Cream's shoulder.

Lien-Da's hand shot out like lightning, gripping the little creature by its neck. Pulling Cheese back, and holding him tightly by his windpipe, the echidna began to strangle the small creature. Cream's eyes immediately released the tears she held, while she tried in vain to save her friend. But Lien-Da did not release her hold on Cheese's neck, nor would she want to.

"I. Said. Leave." Lien-Da ordered, her words holding no silliness.

She dropped Cheese in Cream's hands; the Chao was now immobile. All that bravado Cream had was gone that very moment. She ran away, crying, with Cheese cradled in her arms. Lien-Da's reflective indigo eyes shifted back over, laying upon Tikal once more. The orange echidna retained her indifferent nature, even while dominatrix stepped up behind him.

"Ready to go princess?"

Tikal watched as Lien-Da's hand fell upon her shoulder. Time seemingly stopped because of if. She looked down at the hand, then back over to the window, and finally back upon the hand. Seeing it caused her to shake, and quiver. There may have been a storm of confusion within the orange echidna's mind, but there was one thing she was sure about. She _hated_ Lien-Da. That horrible woman _tortured_ her. She didn't care if it technically wasn't her memories, that _bitch_ tortured her!

"Let... GO!"

From Tikal's empowered body, a red shock wave of power flew out. It pushed Lien-Da back, but did not have the desired effect of destroying her. The red echidna pushed past the blast, growing closer and closer to Tikal as she did so. The living Emerald did not back down, however. She continued to scream, increasing the power of her attack as she did so. Yet Lien-Da persisted; she moved closer and closer eventually getting in Tikal's face yet again. Once she did so, she reached forward with her gauntlet covered hand.

The Chaos Syphon fastened itself upon Tikal's mouth, silencing her. She tried to exert enough strength to throw Lien-Da off of her, but it didn't work. Suddenly, she started feeling weak. Really weak. Her knees buckled, she toppled under her own weight, her eyes closed shut, and she fell forward. Lien-Da held her up, while her indigo eyes read the Chaos Syphon. The device had absorbed as much energy as it could before overloading. Fortunately, it absorbed enough to knock the echidna unconscious.

Lien-Da smiled; her victory was complete. But, maybe she was celebrating too soon.

"Mr. Omega!" Cream's voice cried from behind.

The dominatrix spun around toward the door. There he was, the final E-series robot, Omega. His arms guns, his red eyes aimed down upon the echidna's position. Rouge was holding his leg, grasping on as tightly as she could. There was no warning.

Omega fired, ripping through the air with his bullets. There were a lot of things Lien-Da could fight, but a machine was _slightly _above her pay-grade. Instead of meeting sure death at Omega's hands, Lien-Da leaped back. Still holding onto Tikal's body, she was able to dodge Omega's bullets, whilst crashing through the window. She started falling back with increased speeds, plummeting downward toward the roads below.

But this would not be the end of her, no, no, that would be too easy now wouldn't it? From Lien-Da's wrists, warp rings unfastened themselves. They quickly expanded, enveloping the echidna and her victim in a light. Omega fired down upon Lien-Da, even as she fell toward the earth. His actions were fruitless however; she and Tikal had already been swallowed whole by the warp rings. The device flew up in the sky, then vanished.

Omega stopped his firing. His Gatling guns receded into his arms, now being replaced by arms. The rabbit which had come running to him, had not yet released his leg. To quiet her down, he placed his claw upon her head.

"There... there..." he said mechanically, of course.

"Omega..." Shadow's voice called from the doorway, "Lien-Da, where is she?"

The hulking robot said nothing. It didn't take Shadow long to understand why. He dashed to the balcony as fast as he could. Touching the edges of the broken glass, he brought his vision over the railway. Lien-Da and gone. What's worst, Tikal was with her. There was only one thing Shadow could say about this situation.

"Oh no..."

…

He stared long and hard at the being before. Four thousand years of waiting. It had finally come to a close. The first leg of destruction was now complete. The second leg, coming soon after. The albino echidna was nearly awestruck. He waited for as long as he could, and it would seem his patience had finally paid off.

Chaos 0, the very aquatic god of destruction, sat before him. The cage he was place it was created specifically for him, thanks to Doctor Robotnik of course. Without the egg-shaped scientist, maybe things would have turned out differently. Maybe they would have been forced to wait a little while longer.

But no, no, no! No more waiting! It was all here! It was all now! Soon, pure, unadulterated Chaos, will rain down upon the world. Yes. Pure Chaos.

"You have no idea how long I waited, Chaos..." Finitevus stated, his hands on his hips, "I waited from the very moment of my _death,_ I waited. The very moment I watched you destroy our people, I waited. Over four thousand years, I waited. But no more. I, Dr. Finitevus, wait no more," his optics moved down into a squint, "How do you feel? Are you angry? Mad? Rage-filled?" he shook his head, "No, no, of course not. You could careless, couldn't you?" he placed his hand on the glass cage which held Chaos hostage, "You may be a mutated Chao, but at the end of the day, you're just that. A Chao. A godly powerful Chao yes, but a Chao nonetheless..." he tapped the glass, "Is that why you are so faithful to her? Or is there something more?" he tapped even harder, "Do you still hold that command that _she _gave you? Do you still listen to Akna's words!?"

"Finitevus!" the red echidna behind him yelled, as the door opened, "Finitevus do not patronize our guess. He is, after all, the key too our victory..."

Dimitri walked up behind his ally, arms crossed, body covered in his godly armor.

"You'll have to excuse my ally," the Imperator stated, "He has quite the hatred for his sister, Akna..." he crossed his arms and glanced over to the albino echidna, "Yes, yes, Akna. She was always so perfect. She was the purist embodiment of a Nocturnous upbringing."

"She was a glitch..." Finitevus replied with a snarl, "Nowhere near perfection, like you make her out to be..." he glanced back at Chaos, "Besides, she was a traitor..."

"Hold your tongue, Finitevus," Dimitri ordered, "Remember; you too were once a traitor..."

The door once again opened and closed.

"If you two are done arguing," Lien-Da bemoaned, "Look what I found..." she pushed the unconscious Tikal forward, "One purely untapped jewel of power, the living Chaos Emerald..."

Chaos rushed the cage, slapping against the glass pointlessly. Seeing Tikal was enough to push his rage on end. Finitevus quickly grabbed her; his golden optics shining a color never seen before. He could barely contained the excitement within his body; it had been years since he felt this feeling. Gazing back to Lien-Da, he couldn't help but to smile.

"Yes..." he murmured, "Yes... we've almost won..." he pulled back, "We just need one final ingredient..."

"The Starman..." Dimitri stated, "And the final Chaos Emeralds..."

"They'll come.." Finitevus answered, "I'll make it impossible for them to ignore us..." he faced Lien-Da again, "Put her in the cage. We're about to go topside."

…

"Shadow, where are you going?"

The bat's inquisitions fell on death ears. He marched out of the club, nudging past various G.U.N. soldiers as he did so. The bat behind him kept up pace, ignoring all those around them. For all intents and purposes, Club Rouge was now a crime scene. Three of G.U.N.'s best agents were bested by one illustrious spy. Yeah, that didn't sit well with the higher-ups. For obvious reasons, ya'know.

But Shadow didn't care. Even though his body was bandaged, and he shouldn't have really been walking, he stormed down the streets of Night Babylon like a man on a mission. Rouge followed, her body too bandaged by wounds sustained by her bought with Lien-Da. But while Shadow was angry, she was more concerned.

"Shadow, just stop!" she yelled. To her surprise, he actually did so, "Where are you going?" she asked next, "Please, tell me?"

"I can't believe I failed like that..." he stated, "_Again_. This is the _second_ time I've failed to protect Tikal from that witch!"

"Who is she!?" the bat asked in a bark, "Who is Tikal! You keep beating around the bush, Shadow! You won't answer me! Why!? Who is Tikal that you are so blinded that you ignore me, and everyone! Who is she!?"

He looked at Rouge, and specifically those eyes. Those big teal eyes one could get lost in. In all the world, he never met someone like her. She was the first person he felt he could trust. Trust with his _life_. She wouldn't betray him, she wouldn't hurt him. Above all, she held his best interests at heart. Coming from Rouge, that means something. She was somewhat like a sister to him. An older sister, who sometimes didn't know when to shut up. But a loving one nonetheless.

"Shadow... please..." she said as she grabbed his hand, "Before you go and throw your life away, at least tell me why..."

He grabbed her shoulders, and pulled her close. Then he drifted his mouth closer to her ears. He whispered something next, something so low only she could hear it. As this went on, her eyes grew wide with shock. Upon finishing, Shadow pulled back, turned away, then walked off.

Rouge's wings folded in, and her arms fell to her sides. Looking up, she gazed upon Shadow's fleeting image. Turning around, her eyes fell upon her club. Though she wished to follow her dark ally, she did the opposite.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Hey you guys, we're back again, with another chapter about hedgehogs and echidnas and bats and rabbits and robots. Oh yeah._

_Anywho, this chapter was fairly quick for me to write, despite the fact that its a bit longer than some of my other chapters. I dunno, maybe its because I focused exclusively on this, instead of a lot of other random hooplah. That being said, I actually enjoyed this chapt. We got to watch Lien-Da kick a whole lotta ass. Like, a whooooooooooole lotta ass. Sonic, Shadow, Rouge, and Amy. She's ten times stronger than she was in the last story. Hell, even Shadow realized this. Why? I'll explain it later, don't worry._

But you don't really care about that, do you? I mean, Finitevus and Dimitri's four thousand years of waiting, is finally ending. They have Chaos and Tikal, as well as five of the seven Chaos Emeralds. The last two are owned by Shadow and Sonic, of course. They know this too, and there waiting. But not for long. Oh, no, no. Finitevus' plan is almost complete. Almost.

Oh yeah, in Rouge's fight with Lien-Da, she does some move where she blows a kiss which takes the form of an attack. That's Rouge's Shot attack from Sonic Battle. I've always wondered what that was. Seriously, she kisses the air and a colorful fire ball flies out? What is that?

And one last thing, this time, with the last chapter. In Domination II, we watched Dimitri get some knew duds. The blue and gold Enerjak clothing that he wore in the comics. But Dimitri gets the clothing from a pyramid, and the armor was on the body of a long since dead echidna. The name of the echidna? Imperator Dimitri Dux. Just so you know, that's Roman. Emperor Dimitri God. But, know, who was that dead echidna? It couldn't have been Dimitri's body, because his original body was disintegrated when he was defeated by Shadow. The only thing left was his head. So, who was that guy? Another echidna named Dimitri, who just so happened to be an Imperator, and just so happened to be a god?

Spooky stuff, right?

Just so you guys know, I finally wrote my first original story. Well, I've written a lot of original stories, I just never gained the courage to post them online. If you wanna know it, just type in The Magnificent Miss Hare. It should pop up. Should. You could always visit my deviantArt page to read it as well.

Imperator. Such a dope sounding name. I like it.

Imperator Maverick Kay Prime


	22. To

To...

She felt cold again. Really cold. So cold, she could barely move. Also, she had a headache. A raging headache. It was near migraine in levels. No, no, no, it was a migraine. Possibly even worse. Between the shivers and the thumping brain, she didn't know what was worse. To be honest though, the migraine did take her mind off of the chilling air. Take that as you will.

She opened her green eyes. Yes, they were green now, not the red which they had become. She gazed up and down in a frantic manner, staring among the area she had been placed in. Unlike the last time, she was in no iron cell. Instead, she was inside, what could only be described as, a glass bubble.

She pressed her hands and feet to the glass shielding, trying to break free of the bonds which had her. But it was fruitless; the glass was slippery, and much to strong to break out of. This angered her to no end. She started fidgeting in place, causing her powers to whip out into a frenzy. This red aura began to expand from her body, while her verdant eyes became crimson.

But this moment was short-lived. A powerful pulse of electricity circuited through her body, rendering her body weak and limber. She fell back, her powers subsided, groans of pain flowing from her mouth. This wasn't something she could easily break out of. In fact, she wasn't sure this was something she could break out of, at all.

"You have no idea how long I waited for this..." the orange echidna stared out of her glass seal, and toward the being who spoke to her. He was an albino echidna with golden eyes, and a demented disposition. He wore a purple cloak over his face, yet he removed it slowly.

"Finitevus..." Tikal said, as she scooted back in her small bubble.

"Four thousand years, I planned this outcome... I saw it happening..." he answered, ignoring her call, "I saw my time of victory, right when Enerjak destroyed my old body..." he started to chuckle, "I saw myself, standing here, before you, in _triumph_. I just didn't know how long I had to wait, but I can say it was well worth it," he placed his hands upon her bubble, "For _four thousand years_, I planned this moment. My ultimate victory, where I wipe clean the land, where I _kill everyone_," he smiled, "I couldn't wait for it," then he gazed up to her face, "I just needed to wait for you. I didn't know how or when you would appear, but I was ready for it. I knew things were falling in order right when the Starman revived you, albeit, out of failure," he pulled back, so he could get a better look of the girl within the bubble before him, "You remind me so much of Akna. Your fur is a little darker, but the eyes are the same," he shook his head, "I truly did love my sister, at one point in time. She was superior to the rest of those fools of the Nocturnus tribe, even if she was a glitch," his vision grew lidded, "She was the first person I knew, who held such a strong connection to the Chaos Force. No priest from the Knuckles tribe or scientist from the Nocturnus tribe, could crack the code that was the Chaos Force, but she could. She was truly magnificent..." he started to grow, "I _hated _her for it... I hated her so much!" he looked to Tikal, "And I _still_ hate her. And I hate you..."

He pulled back and away, toward a panel which sat in the center of the area.

"Wait..." Tikal called, "What are you planning on doing to me? What does my mother have to do with all of this?"

Finitevus began tapping on the panel's keyboard, causing the room to shake and rumble. Gazing up, he gave her a smile that was most befitting his sadistic behavior.

"The past has a voice, little Emerald," he answered, "And its _howling_ at you..."

With the switch of a lever, he caused a seal from the center to open. From the opening, another glass bubble descended into the area. Tikal gazed over to it, noticing another being was placed inside, much like her. The being within made her gasp.

"CHAOS!" she yelled with her hand slamming into the glass.

Seeing her caused the water god to straighten up. He delivered a punch toward the glass which could level a 10-ton truck. Unfortunately, the glass was much to strong to actually break out of. His attack did little to the glass, save for a scratch.

"Such a touching reunion..." Finitevus mumbled.

The door behind opened yet again. It was another echidna, one who wore blue and gold armor over every inch of his body. Seeing him made Tikal freeze up; the color scheme may have been different, but she knew who that being was.

"Stop screwing around, Finitevus," Enerjak ordered, "Everything we need is here..."

"Not yet..." the overzealous doctor answered, "We are missing the final Chaos Emeralds of course..."

"Standing around is not getting them here any faster," the god growled, "Hurry up!"

"So impatient," Finitevus retorted as he pressed a few buttons on his keyboard, "But what can I say? It's rightfully placed. Four thousand years is a long time to wait..." he pressed a big red button, "Four. Thousand. _Years_."

The base began to shake.

…

From the outside, the oceanic base was well hidden. It was great in size, with one central sphere which compromised the base's integrity. Various smaller spheres was connected to the greater sphere, all of which were connected by slender halls. Despite the base's considerable size, the shadows of the trenches it was placed within kept the base well hidden from prying eyes. The only beings which knew of its existence were the fish which swam outside.

But no more. The time had come for this ocean beast to be known by all. From the bottom of its steel hull, bubbles were expelled. It was as if an explosion was triggered, one which sent a shock wave throughout the surrounding area. The dark metal base steadily began to rise. The rocks on the trench side fell thanks to the rising base.

It moved higher and higher, sending fish rushing from the disturbance. For as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but the ocean's pristine blue. It was only broken by the great spherical construct.

The Dark Legionnaire base continued to rise, eventually breaking the surface of the ocean. Not stopping, it flew higher into the air, as flames sprouted from various thrusters placed beneath. The demented building stopped only when it floated miles into the air, visible to all who could see.

Then it began moving. Slowly, but surely. It left the great bay it was placed in, and instead moved on for an unknown destination.

…

"I can't believe it..." Sonic said as he gave a stretch, "A few days ago, I was breaking into here, and now I'm being ferried inside like the hero I am..."

He couldn't help but to chuckle. It was his way of making breaking the tension going on. But it wasn't working.

Cream was so terrified from the other night, Amy couldn't get her out of her mind. Rouge was still shaken up by Shadow's words. Omega was Omega; there's nothing new there. And the one person who had the most information on their enemies was nowhere to be found. Seriously, it was as if Shadow had just fallen off the face of the earth.

When gazing up, the blue hero saw the stern face of the G.U.N. Commander gaze back. The old fellow with the heterochromia eyes retained his hard gaze, though it only grew harder as time went on. Someone like Sonic was a person he couldn't stand; cocky, always talking back, never stopping to think and plan. But he'd be damned if he didn't say the blue hedgehog never brought in results. Every time he decided to stick his little black nose into something, he came out on the victorious end.

"Indeed..." the G.U.N. Commander said; answering Sonic's statement from before, "Unfortunately, we have a potential invasion to deal with..." he stared over the round table before him, reading the myriad faces of depression written on everyone's face, "I hope you have information we can use, Rouge..."

She glanced up to him briefly, before glancing back down to the desk. Lifting her hand, she placed it upon her cheek. A low groan escaped her lips, while her eyes closed shut.

"I apologize, Commander," she murmured, "I'm just as in the dark as you are..."

"Then where's Shadow?" he asked next, "He seems to know more about this than we all do."

"Once again, I'm just as in the dark..." she answered with a hint of sadness, before placing her entire face into her hand, "Just what the hell is going on here? Things seem to be breaking for absolutely no reason..."

The silence returned, and this time it hit everyone, Sonic including. The Commander gazed upon this for a few minutes, before getting angry. Rising from his chair, he slammed his hands upon the desk, jolting everyone.

"Listen!" he barked, "If we don't get something done now, we're just sitting ducks!" the silenced persisted, "Someone! Anyone! Has to have some information before we get struck in the ass!"

The door opened. Everyone gazed upon the door together, seeing a magenta echidna struck inside. She wobbled from side to side, her patient's robe making it somewhat hard to walk. Trekking to the desk, she took a seat right beside Omega.

"The base has risen..." Julie-Su stated, "Father has risen the base..."

"What is she talking about?" the Commander asked, though it was obvious to all they had no idea either.

"Don't you get it!?" the magenta echidna continued to rant, "Father has risen the base! That can only mean one thing..." she leaned back and shook her head, "He's planning on making home on Angel Island, and once he does, he shall drop Chaos upon the world. But not just _any_ Chaos. Not Perfect Chaos like the last time, no, his plan is ten times worst. He plans on dropping a being which will never stop destroying, never stop... He's going to use that being to wipe the world clean. I thought he was going to destroy the evil and vile, but no, he plans on killing _everyone_. My father will have his perfect world after that, one which is crafted in his own image..."

"Okay... can someone please translate that?" the Commander inquired.

"Easy," Sonic answered as he leaped from his chair, "That Finitevus guy is going to Angel Island, so I recommend we get ready..." he started for the door, "I'm going to Tails and rounding up as many people as I can, I recommend you get ready, Commander..."

Before anyone could say anything, the blue hero dashed away.

"I freaking hate that boy..." the Commander remarked, "Rouge!"

"Yes Commander?"

"I figure you know where Angel Island is, can you get us there?"

"Can I?" she asked cockily.

"Then see too it that you get us there, I'm calling an assembly..."

…

Gemerl's blue gaze sat upon her as long as they could. She wasn't crying anymore, but she was still visibly shaken. His hard, cold hand, stretched forward to grab the hare. Her hand met his in a touch so slender, grasping in a tender touch. She stared up with her brown eyes and cocked his head. He moved his hand forward to touch her lips, where he motioned them softly into a smile.

"Are you okay, Cream?" Tails asked as he walked up, "You still look so..."

The twin-tailed fox didn't really have an answer, just a face. It was a soft and nice smile, one which also brought a smile to the rabbit's face. When he began chuckling, she chuckled too. When he started walking away, she reached out for him.

The door to the variable science lab suddenly opened. The trio's eyes fell upon it at the same time. The blue hero was there, his smile as shining as every. Even with the bandages on his body, he retained that aura of heroism.

"Hey Tails!" he called, "Yo G..." he said to Gemerl before zipping up to a certain little rabbit, "Hey Cream. Are you okay?"

She giggled and nodded, though it was still obvious to all that she was still shaken up over the earlier night. Still, seeing her smile made the hero smile.

"Hey Tails," he stated as he stood up tall, "I need you to get ready..."

"Great," the yellow fox answered sarcastically, "What maddening adventure do we have to go through now?"

The yellow fox chuckled and so did his older brother.

"You know me so well," Sonic stated with a bow, "Seriously though, get the Tornado Mk... _whatever_ ready. We and the rest of G.U.N. are invading Angel Island soon..."

"Yeah, yeah," Miles answered, before his brother's words suddenly hit him, "Wait, invading Angel Island, why!?"

"You know, same old same old," the blue hedgehog answered, "We've gotta go kill a few echidnas... yup... same old same old..."

"Once again, why!?"

"You'll see in due time," Sonic stated as he zipped back to the front door, "I've gotta go and get some more help, get ready Tails!"

"You haven't answered me yet; why!?" the fox yelled.

His brother smiled his trademark smile, then vanished in a blue whirlwind. Tails stood in the center of his home, a hard grimace on his face. After closing the door, he withdrew a wrench from his waist.

"Get the Tornado ready he says," the fox remarked to himself, "And by the way! It's the Tornado Cyclone! Not Mk anything! Anything!" he shifted his gaze over to his home's garage, "He makes it seem as if I have an issue or something..."

He continued to sprout random nonsequitors as he made his way downstairs. Cream continued sitting on her chair alone. At least Gemerl was here. He would keep her company.

An explosion echoed downstairs.

"DARNIT!" Tails yelled, "NOT AGAIN!"

Never mind.

…

"Wow..." the green crocodile said as he gazed into the sky, "That thing's really giving me the willies..."

The great spherical base blocked out the sun due to its sheer size. It sent out a shade over the entire city, acting much like a solar eclipse. Sans the lost of eyesight, of course. With the faux eclipse in the sky, darkness spread everywhere. But the crocodile stared skyward, wondering just what he was looking at.

"Hey!? Who turned out the lights!?" a voice behind the croc called.

He turned around, seeing the door to his business open. A bumblebee flew out, his head laying on a pillow he himself was holding.

"I can't believe I woke up to this!" the boy said as he started jittering left and right, "Oooooh! You guys know that I hate the dark!"

"Can't you be quiet for a little while, Charmy..." the crocodile inquired as he stepped back into his home, "Maybe if you did, we'd get hired more often..."

Charmy lingered outside for a little while, for his eyes now laid upon the great flying base. He began to shiver at the sight, which caused him to quickly return to the awaiting hut. Darting beside his older teammate, he hid in the safety of the building.

"Wha-wha-what is that thing, Vector!?" he practically barked, which annoyed the crocodile even more.

"I said be quiet!" he yelled, "I have to think!"

He placed his fingers on his chin in a thinking pose, while his eyes moved over to a resting red being on his couch. The man's face was covered by a newspaper, one which the crocodile quickly removed.

"Mighty..." Vector called unsuccessfully, "Mighty... Mighty!"

He suddenly grabbed the red armadillo's leg, pulling him up with his one arm alone. Dragging the, still silent, armadillo over to the window, he began shaking him.

"MIGHTY! Get up!"

The last bark finally awoke the being, though he was still half asleep. The armadillo yawned, while he gazed up to his boss with half-closed eyes.

"Oh... yo Vector..." he called through a yawn, "What's up...?"

"Funny choice of words..." the crocodile answered suspiciously enough.

He moved Mighty closer to the window, so he could see the darkness outside. One glance up showed the red armadillo why. He too saw the Dark Legionnaire base, which flew high above the lands below.

"Whoa..." Mighty stammered, "Where'd that come from?"

"That's what I wanna know!" Vector stated as he dropped the armadillo on his back, "It's not everyday that giant flying crafts glide over the land. That's weird, even for _our_ world..." he stopped, "Just what business does it have up there anyway?" he sat down in his chair, "And where's Espio!?"

Poof. Smoke exploded from a corner of the room, leaving a purple chameleon in its wake. Arms at his side, he gazed over to his boss with that cold golden gaze of his. He was a serious being, way more serious than the average person need be.

"I'm right here..." Espio replied as he walked up, "No need to yell..."

"Oh! I'm a yell!" Vector snarled as he pointed out the window, "Do you see that thing!?"

"How could I not?" the chameleon answered, "I was training in the mountains near by, when that thing flew overhead..." he glanced out the corner of his eye toward the flying base, "What do you think is going on? Another Eggman invasion?"

"I don't think so..." Vector remarked, "This doesn't feel like Eggman's MO... we would have heard him laugh by now, or sprout some sort of nonsense..." he sulked lower to his chair, "This is a little bit _more _serious..."

"Eh... whatever..." Mighty stated with his lax attitude, "If its something important, I'm sure Sonic's tied into it in someway..." he yawned, "I'm going back to sleep..."

Before he could make way for couch however, the door flew open once more. Everyone stared to it in unison, while a certain blue hedgehog gazed back. Seeing him made everyone realize the situation at hand. Yet Vector still smiled.

"Boys," he stated, "I think we've just found ourselves a new employer!"

Sonic gained a smirk of his own.

…

Her fingers danced upon the metal slowly. She smiled at it, finding the finished result to be perfect. Well, near-perfect, and near-finished. It was a prototype. Not an Alpha, but a Beta. Still, it wasn't finalized, and therefore, not complete. But _near_ complete.

She placed the metallic arm band upon her desk, and let loose a sigh of release. Leaning back in her chair, she nodded her head in pleasure. Another completion at the hands of yours truly. After a few tests, she would see how the machine worked, and after that, she'd be able to create the final design.

She stepped over to the window, whilst pulling up the red, oil-stained, shirt on her body. Opening the window, she allowed a powerful gust of wind to rumble along her face. It blew through her golden hair, making her let loose a pleased moan. After an entire day of sitting in the darkness, with the only light being from her blowtorch, it felt amazing to have some natural sunlight. It was a good day today; she figured it would be fun to head to the park.

Grabbing her rag, she wiped clean the grime upon her face and hair. Turning around how to face the door, she felt a shadow engulf her. Turning around, there was a being at the window seal, one with burning red eyes. He leaped out the seal and down to the floor, where he slowly began to approach her.

"Shadow..." the young mechanic stated, as he moved closer.

"Hope..." he answered, "Did you finish what I asked of you?"

She nodded quickly, while her blue eyes moved over to her newest creation. Gripping the metallic arm band, she waved it in the air.

"Starman Armor beta!" she answered, "It's still a prototype, but it should get the job done..." she turned and faced him, "It'll work wonders, I promise you this."

He grabbed the band from her hand, slowly taking it as he did so. Gazing upon it with a raised eyebrow, the black and red hedgehog slid it slowly upon his wrist. It fit well, as if it were _meant_ to be there.

"It's correctly proportioned to you," the mechanic stated, "I made sure of it..."

He rubbed it while at the same time nodded. Gazing up, he gave one of the few smiles he could muster.

"Thanks Hope..." he stated as he moved backwards toward the window.

"Wait!? Where are you going?" she asked.

"Let's just say I'm going to be _testing_ the Starman Armor." he answered as he climbed the seal.

"But I have to be there, ya'know," she stated, "I mean, how do I know it'll work, huh?"

"It'll work..." he responded as he gazed out the window, "You never make anything that doesn't work..."

He leaped out the window, while she ran for it.

"Shadow! Wait!" Hope called, but it was fruitless. He already vanished from her vision, leaving her alone once more, "I... I created the Time Jet... and that didn't work..."

The door behind her opened, making her turn around. It was another G.U.N. Agent, much like she was. The two saluted each other, as per usual, before he said what he came to say.

"G.U.N. Commander has called an assembly, Agent Hope," he stated, "It's of the highest priority, so I recommend you follow."

"Understood, I'm coming." she answered.

He ran off first, leaving her alone in the room. Before leaving, the young mechanic took a look out the window. Then she followed, and left the dark area. But her wrench was in her back pocket, of course.

…

The base kicked up dust. When it landed, it was like a bomb, or an earthquake. It threw up wind, sound, and debris with its landing. Many were sent running because of it. Despite its sheer size, the base was relatively small in comparison to the rest of the island. Yet it was still visible to all those who stood around.

Many slots on the base opened, and from these slots, Gizoids leaped out. They quickly took to the land around them, all of which holding guns in their hands. They were ready to get to work, whatever that work entailed.

But deep inside the base, was where the _true _horror lied.

"Can you feel it, Emerald?" Finitevus inquired as he moved his hands up, "We're back! Back in the homeland!"

"What are you going to do to me!? To us!?" Tikal asked as she and Chaos 0 moved forward.

"To you?" the albino echidna asked, "It's not, 'what am I going to do to you', that you should be asking," gained a sadists' smile, "It's what _you _are going to do for _me_!"

He reached away into his cloak. When his hand returned, it held the purple Chaos Emerald. A panel which sat between Chaos and Tikal suddenly opened up. From the slot, a machine arose. It was a bowl-shaped construct, which sat on a long pole. Finitevus walked up to the device, placing the Chaos Emerald inside of it as he did so. Turning back around, he started walking to the command console from before.

Pressing a button upon it, he caused the walls to open. There were strange devices within the walls. They were miniature towers, with mechanical spheres on the tips. Finitevus began to laugh as he pressed various buttons on the console. The metallic towers began rotating around the echidna and her godly ally. What was the point of this; they could only wonder.

From one of the towers, a bolt struck Tikal's glass container. She was thrown back by the impact, nearly bashing her head against the cell. Another bolt struck the glass bubble which contained Chaos. He literally exploded, only to reconfigured his aquatic cells. The Chaos Emerald between them began to shine and shimmer. Suddenly, it raised into the sky. Tikal was so mesmerized by the sight of it, she seemed to not notice the dark incantations flowing from Finitevus' lips.

That was, until, the bolts shocked both Tikal and Chaos at the same time. As they screamed in pain, the Chaos Emerald's purple glow increased. It flashed suddenly, engulfing everything and everyone in its brilliance. During this flash, the electrical bolts ceased. And with that, so did the pain.

Tikal kept her eyes clamped shut, for an extended period of time. When they opened, she realized she was still in the same room. Her eyes laid upon Finitevus, who was laughing. The purple Chaos Emerald fell.

"What... what happened?" she asked.

"It is complete," Finitevus answered as he ceased his laughing.

"What?" Tikal asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Haven't you realized it? Someone's missing!"

She locked up. Her green eyes slowly moved over to the glass bubbly beside her. The area her friend, Chaos, once occupied. It was empty. He wasn't there, as if he _vanished_. Tikal paced her hands on her glass seal, as if she could move over to grab his. It didn't work, of course.

"What...?" she whispered at first, "Finitevus! What did you do to him!?"

"It's funny what you learn you can do, with enough time," the echidna stated, "Don't you feel a little different, Emerald? Don't you feel... _strange_?"

She shook her head 'no'. She felt perfectly find.

"Foolish rock," Finitevus belittled as he shook his head, "You haven't realized it yet..." he looked up to her, "Chaos and you, are now _one and the same_."

Tikal pulled back, fear gripping her. Finitevus may have been an evil, demented bastard, but he was no liar. At least, that's what she figured. But she still disbelieved him, this had to be yet another lie. Until she heard a harsh dripping sound. She rose her hand and gazed at the very tip of her finger. All was normal. Until, her eyes found something.

At the very edge of her fingertip, she watched a pearl of water form. It fell from her finger, splashing against the very bottom of her glass sphere. Again, another bubble of water on her finger. It too fell, breaking against the floor with ease. Over and over again, the young echidna watched her arm expel water droplets.

And then, the _real_ horror occurred. Tikal's entire _arm_ transformed into water. Severing from the rest of her body, the limb fell and splashed into the sphere. She was shivering with fear now, as tears flowed from her eyes. Or were they tears? She no longer knew. One after another, pieces of her body turned to water and left her. Those green eyes of hers became completely green, much like Chaos' eyes. But, oh yeah, that's right, she and Chaos were now _one_.

Her entire body was now made of water, and that water filled the bubble. She tried to reform her body, but it wasn't working. Seeing her clothes floating around in what was, essentially, her body, caused the echidna to reform herself. Albeit, _barely_. She formed her body, but it lacked any color other than emerald-green.

"Yes, yes," Finitevus remarked as he moved closer, "Tikhaos... Don't you like that name?"

"What did you do to me?" _Tikhaos _asked, "I feel so... _hungry..._"

The door behind them opened.

"They're coming, Finitevus," Enerjak stated from beneath his helmet, "It's time to move..."

"Indeed..." the albino stated with a smile.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Hmm... I'm sorry, I'm just mesmerized by what I just wrote. Perfection, I'd dare say..._

_Anyway, what happened to everyone last chapter? I got, like, one review. Oh well, I'm here, again, after a while of not writing anything. At least, it feels like a long time for me. Who knows?_

_I don't really have much to say about this chapter. No, really, despite all that's happened, or is happening. We do know what Hope built for Shadow._

_At least Mighty the Armadillo is in this story. You know, he's apart of the Chaotix, yet we never see him after Knuckles Chaotix. Why is that? He's there in the comics, just not in the games. Oh well, he's just another character who vanished from the Sonic mythos._

_But no, no, no! You wanna know about Tikhaos, don't you!? I'm pretty sure you're awestruck by what I just did. Heck, so am I! I dunno, I'm pretty darn sneaky. You see, I did not create Tikhaos. No, she's a completely legitimate Archie Sonic character. Except, no one had any idea where the hell she comes from. Oh well. In this story, Finitevus is the person to blame for this. He fused Tikal and Chaos to form Tikhaos. And, as one can suspect, madness is about to happen. Pure, unadulterated, madness._

_Hm. I feel kind of muddled today. I might write something else today. Who knows?_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	23. Final

Final

The endless seas of blue, parted only by the rushing wind and puffy white clouds, it was near amazing. His hand was held clamped upon the edge of the biplane's wings. His blue quills flowed against the wind, bouncing with every push of the air. His green eyes stared up and around to the skies around him. It was such an exhilarating feeling.

He stared over to his right. There was a gold and black being beside him, flying thanks to thrusters in its back. Despite the high altitude and quick speeds, the robot was able to keep up with great ease.

"Hey G!" Sonic called to Gemerl, "How ya hangin'!?"

The robot gazed over with his blue eyes, before lifting his arm. With one extended thumb, he showed to Sonic how well he was doing with a thumbs up. The blue blur chuckled, before gazing over his shoulder to the yellow fox in the command chair. Miles 'Tails' Prower the fox held his hands tightly upon the steering wheel. He gazed up to the blue hero from beneath his goggles; a smile gracing his lips. With a nod, Sonic stared off to the skies before them.

The endless blue was eventually broken by a single structure. One, single, island, which despite all knowledge, floated miles above the land. Seeing the island made the blue hero squint; this conflict was coming to an end. Behind the bi-plane riding being and his friends, lay an armada of flying ships. The G.U.N. Air Fleet, to be exact.

Sonic's verdant eyes shifted over to his left next. There was a vehicle flying beside him at equal, if not greater, speeds. It was larger than the high-powered biplane, yet it was smaller than the Air Fleet behind them. A sleek black devil, it appeared to have a great strength, despite its relatively small size. Through the windows of the G.U.N. vehicle, the blue hero saw a bumblebee gazing back. Charmy Bee, to be exact.

Sonic reached away to his backside, pulling out a headphone as he did so. Snapping it upon his ear, he fiddled with the device briefly before finally speaking.

"Hey?" he called into the machine's small microphone, "Everything alright in there?"

There was a slight argument on the other side, before a certain pink hedgehog's voice answered him.

"Everything's alright in here, Sonic," Amy said with a hint of joy, "No need to ask!"

She made way toward the black carrier vehicle's window, staring out to see the man of her dreams. He gazed back with a cocked head of confusion, though Amy saw it to be different. From behind, a certain bat reached her highest point of annoyance. Grabbing the pink hedgehog, she threw her back while at the same time taking the headphone from her ears.

"Annoying brat," Rouge grumbled before shifting her teal eyes over to Sonic outside, "How ya hanging, big blue?"

"Eh, what can I say?" he asked back, "This kind of reminds me of the first time Tails and I first went to Angel Island. Except for the fact that we went there the first time for vacation, while this time we're harboring a fleet of destruction... funny how things change, huh?"

"I suppose you can say that..." Rouge asked as she turned around, "Hope, how much farther do we have?"

At the command center of this flagship, a certain blonde mechanic sat. She checked the map placed in front of her. Between now and their destination, they had a few more hundred miles. It should only take a few minutes, maybe more, to clear the distance. Upon seeing this, Hope smiled and lifted three fingers.

"Three minutes you say?" the bat answered, "Interesting..." her eyes suddenly moved into a squint next, "Are you sure about this, Hope? I mean, it's not very often you go on missions."

"No, no, I'm fine," the blonde answered as she leaned back, "I didn't make the Black Hawk here only for you guys, I wanna fly it ya'know," she lurched forward again, "Besides; one of my inventions is being tested out here," she began to shake and shiver in her seat, "Oh! I can't wait to see how it works!"

"So..." a red armadillo murmured as he walked through the command center, "What are we facing up here again?"

"Don't you know anything, Mighty?" Vector scolded with his raspy voice, "We got it in that debriefing. They're called uh... Espio, what are they called again?"

"Gizoids..." the purple ninja answered from the corner, "They're called Gizoids," he gazed down to the kunai in his hand, "They're dangerous robots which can learn what we do, just by watching us battle..."

"And, uh... how do you know this again?" Mighty asked.

"I study a lot of things..." he squinted at the armadillo, "Maybe you should try too..."

"Yeah whatever..."

"EMERGENCY!" the robot in the of the room cried, his eyes flaring its red color, "EMERGENCY!"

"What's wrong, Omega?" Hope inquired as he gained everyone attention.

"Evasive maneuvers! Calling for Evasive maneuvers!" he turned his head around to face Hope, "Resistance has mounted their attack!"

Hope cocked his head at his ally's words, before peering back at the map before her. The entire floating island held a ring of around it. That's what her map said, anyway. Squinting, she tried to figure out what the ring was. Her blue vision shifted up to the front-view window, seeing Angel Island move closer and closer.

"Sky Sanctuary," Sonic's voice answered from over his headphone, "It sits outside of Angel Island. It was destroyed when Knuckles fought Mecha Sonic but, it came back after that whole Generations ordeal..." the blue blur shook his head, "Wait a sec... that's... off... TAILS! MOVE!"

Everyone stared out the window toward Sonic and Tails. The red biplane they flew upon suddenly moved out-of-the-way. Instead, the skies around them came to life with laser fire. Hope's eyes widened; this was the 'resistance' Omega spoke of. Pressing various buttons on her keyboard, the mechanic caused the Black Hawk to fly out-of-the-way. Because no one braced for the sudden gravity shift, nearly everyone within the was thrown toward the back. Well, not Espio, because he's, ya'know, Espio.

Hope tried her hardest to steady the trajectory of the Black Hawk, but it wasn't working to well. She inadvertently brought the carrier craft into the ruins of Sky Sanctuary. When a rock fell upon the Black Hawk, it forced the vehicle down. Growling with fear, the blonde mechanic regulated the ship with her skills. The Black Hawk and its riders now flew through a dark cavern crafted entirely of flying echidna ruins.

"Omega!" Hope called, "Get Commander Tower on the radio!" she pulled on her controls to the right, dodging a tall pillar of stone, "Warn him about Sky Sanctuary and-" bullets began to riddle the Black Hawk's hull, "And of the opposition!"

Her eyes shifted back over to the front-view window. On the walls of the echidna cavern, was Gizoids. They didn't look like the Gizoids that had Sonic terrified though, these were slender and generally weaker looking. They were still armed, however, and that made them dangerous. They aimed, and fired.

"Affirmative!" Omega answered.

"I guess this is our stop..." Espio remarked as he ran to the Black Hawk's exit, "Mighty, let's try to loosen up the congestion of this cave."

"You've got it!" the armadillo answered.

"WAIT!" the mechanic yelled, "You don't have to leave," she began to type furiously on her command console, "This is Team Dark's flag-ship! There's no way I designed this thing without its own set of guns!"

As the Black Hawk was pelted with various gunfire, Hope initiated the aircraft's attack position. Various slots on the vehicle suddenly opened up. Some revealing gun barrels, others revealing rockets. With the weapons in prime position, Hope slammed her finger down upon the big red button.

The Black Hawk roared to life with gunfire. The halls of the floating ruins was brought to life with explosions and bullets. Soon enough, the oppositions attack was drowned out by Hope's attack. By the time the exited the echidna cavern, it was littered by the debris of fallen Gizoids.

Hope breathed a sigh of relief, and so did everyone else inside the Black Hawk. Shifted their vision outside the window, they stared up to the G.U.N. Air Fleet. Explosion danced about in the skies, happening here, there, everywhere! Honestly, Hope couldn't believe it. This was much more intense than she originally believed. And, you know what? It was making her sick. And what was worst, there was over a mile long highway, that was Sky Sanctuary.

"There's more!?" she groaned whilst falling back in her seat.

Oh so much more, and all of it was populated by Gizoids. _Armed_ Gizoids.

"I'm not sure how much more of this I can take," Hope bemoaned as she prepared the Black Hawk for battle once more, "I hope something happens quickly! At this rate, we won't be able to get to Angel Island. Well, not in one piece, anyway..."

"Then I guess it's time Team Chaotix put their expertise to use!" Vector announced heroically, "Wait... we are getting paid for this, right?"

"If we make it out alive..." Espio answered as he grabbed the exit's handle.

"That's good enough for me! Let's go!" his boss answered.

Without waiting, the ninja chameleon opened the door to the outdoors. The wind took him quickly, though he didn't mind. Falling out at increasing speeds, he stared down to Sky Sanctuary. True to Hope's fears, the echidna ruins was lined with Gizoids. Espio withdrew a shuriken, throwing it down toward one of his many foes. The steel weapon slashed into one of the Gizoids' eyes, dropping it quickly. Espio landed shortly after, behind him a red being.

Mighty landed next, his fist meeting the earth. With one mighty punch, he triggered an earthquake which would make even Knuckles jealous. Vector landed next, with a certain bee hovering down seconds later.

"Oh... this is too high for me..." Charmy remarked as he rubbed his stomach, "I don't feel to good..."

"Don't start!" Vector growled.

And then they immediately proceeded to kick ass. Everyone within the Black Hawk stared down to Sky Sanctuary, as the explosions of destroyed Gizoids littered the skies. It was enough to make Omega envious; he couldn't wait to serve his fair share of destruction. Fortunately, or _unfortunately_, his wish was only a few seconds away.

The Black Hawk suddenly stopped. The motion jerked everyone forward, nearly sending them crashing into the floor. Hope, Rouge, Omega, and Amy stared to the front end together. There was a blue and gold being flying there, in the middle of the air. He was holding the Black Hawk by its front tip, forcing it to shift downward toward him. The various vitals of the ship began to scream in Hope's face, making her fret.

"Stop him!" she yelled, "If he drops us there's no way I'd be able to-" her eyes widened, "Oh no..."

No, the flying _echidna _did not have dropping on the mind. His actions were slightly more _demented_. The sound of tearing metal echoed throughout the carrier craft. The Black Hawk's windows exploded, sending shattered glass falling everywhere. The echidna holding the ship continued to pull it apart, with his _bare hands_ alone. A tear appeared right where he hovered, moving along the ship in jagged line.

Before anyone knew it, the Black Hawk was torn completely in half. Thanks to the shift in gravity, Hope and Amy tumbled toward the expansive blue that was the skies. Fortunately, Rouge flew down and grabbed the pink hedgehog by the hands, stopping her from plummeting to her death. Omega ignited his thrusters next, flying and scooping up Hope as he did so.

The blonde mechanic gazed down with tearful eyes. The Black Hawk, one of her greatest creations, now fell solemnly toward the ocean's below. She knew it was wrong to cry over spilled milk, but this was just too much for her to take.

Rouge glanced away from the Black Hawk, and instead to the being who attacked them. He hovered there without any understanding of how to do so. He didn't have wings like her, now did he have thrusters like Omega, so how did he fly. Through sheer power alone; _godlike_ power, that is. Seeing him caused the bat to tense up, as she and Amy flew back.

"You..." the G.U.N. Agent stated, "You're him... you are Enerjak, aren't you?"

The flying echidna chuckled dementedly, as those green eyes of his helmet shined.

"Indeed maiden," he stated, "I am Enerjak, _your _god... and..." he started charging up his celestial powers, "Your _destroyer._"

His entire body burned green, as he started to release his amazing powers. But before he could do so, a blue sphere slammed into his shoulder. He and the blue sphere crashed into the roads of Sky Sanctuary, uprooting concrete floors as he did so. The echidna god struggled to his feet, while his attack rolled onto his toes.

Enerjak stared over his shoulder; there was a blue hedgehog staring upon him.

"You..." the god remarked, "I remember you..." he stood tall, "You were on the base, beneath the ocean waves, right?" his green eyes began to flare with light, "You were with the _Starman_, weren't you?"

"I was with Shadow," Sonic answered, "I don't even know who the Starman is..." he got in a fighting position, "Nor do I care," he started growling, "But you tried to kill my friends, and I don't see kindly to that!"

"Tell me, blue fool," Enerjak ordered as he cracked bones in his neck, "Where is the Starman?"

"Shadow's not here," Sonic answered, "He had his own things to deal with."

"So the Starman is not here," from beneath his helmet, the god smiled, "Good. That means you have no way of defeating me."

"What do you mean by-"

He never got to finish those words. In the blink of an eye, that god's elbow was slammed powerfully into the hedgehog's gut. Sonic lost all of his breath as he walked backwards weakly, his hands on his stomach. Staring up, the god's spiked fist met his face. The blow was strong, throwing him through a pillar which should have stopped his flying body. The pillar exploded thanks to the collision, dropping Sonic on the other side. He grumbled in pain at first, his body nearly convulsing. But the time he got to his feet, he heard the powerful footsteps of a marching god.

He gazed up and down the Sky Sanctuary roads. Enerjak was rushing toward him at full speeds. He stormed passed the defunct ruins, barreling toward his victim with destructive prowess. Enerjak readied his fist, and Sonic prepared to block it. Things were moving faster, but not to fast for the blue blur to think. And he realized, toward the last second, that Enerjak's fist, was could _not _be deflected. Eyes widening, he dodged the strike in the last split second.

Enerjak's fist destroyed the ground he and Sonic stood on. The section of Sky Sanctuary shattered, dropping the two combatants down a level. The blue hero landed on all fours, before launching himself on his feet. The echidna god floated down on his feet however. Crossing his arms, Enerjak eyed down his enemy, a frown on his face.

While Sonic prepared to attack, Enerjak prepared to destroy him. He started charging up a blast of energy, aiming it toward the blue blur's body. It hadn't even reached its fine-point before a double kick struck him in the face. The blow threw him into the ground, but it didn't injure him as much as it should have.

The echidna god got on his feet, whilst gazing over to the person who had the audacity to strike him. It happened to be the maiden from earlier, the one with the voluptuous figure, the teal eyes, and the impressive wing span. Honestly, the god wasn't sure if it was his own mind thinking these thoughts, or the mind of the body he had stolen.

No matter. He _enjoyed _it. He even knew her name.

"Well, well," the god chuckled, "Nice to see you again, Maiden Rouge..."

"How... how do you know my name?" the bat asked as she stepped back in fear.

"Simple," he stated, "I am a god, and as a god, I should know everything. I should especially know what I like, and a I _like _what I see..."

Ew. He was coming on to her. But let's all be honest; sleeping with a god cannot be good for anyone. _Anyone_. Fortunately for Rouge, an interruption was in the works.

"YOU HURT SONIC!" that annoying voice cried.

A heavy hammer struck the god directly in the back of his head. He bent forward a few inches, but did not topple over in defeat. The god turned around, seeing the verdant eyes of a, now terrified, pink hedgehog. Amy stepped back with her Piko Piko hammer in hand. Enerjak stepped forward whilst charging up one single blast. He wasn't about to talk, only kill. And unfortunately, Amy was his intended victim.

I say intended, because the strike never hit her. A blue blur scooped Amy up in its arms, saving her from sure destruction. Enerjak's attack instead destroyed the ground before him. Her grunted in annoyance, right when a kick struck him in the side. Turning around, he eyed down the maiden his eye sat on. Rouge struck with another kick, this one aimed at his head. He stepped back, dodging the blow with ease. She struck again, this time at his side. He blocked it, rendering the attack useless.

"Please stop, maiden," Enerjak remarked as he deflected yet another attack Rouge delivered, "There is no point to fighting anymore..."

"Says you!" she answered as she sent yet another kick, "If I don't fight, you'll just destroy me!"

"As truthful as they may be," he answered as he dodged her next kick, "There's nothing saying we can't bargain. I know your affinity for jewels, all you have to do is promise to do whatever I say, and I will given you all the jewels you could ever want!"

She stopped; her face appearing as if she was mulling over a decision in her head. From beneath his helmet, Enerjak smiled. That smile vanished quickly however, when a powerful kick struck him across the face, and knocked him off of Sky Sanctuary.

"Nah!" Rouge answered, "I tried it before; didn't like it then either!"

To her surprise, she watched Enerjak float back over the edge he was kicked from. He was, for lack of a better word, pissed off. Even the bat could tell, though a helmet constricted the views to his face.

"You shall pay for that, maiden!" the god barked.

He rose his fingers into the sky, causing lighting to strike his open palms. Glaring down, he threw both of them at Rouge. She dodged the lighting strikes, though barely. The area's they fell upon erupted with flames, and threw up rocks as well. Enerjak didn't stop, however. He hurled lightning bolt after lightning bolt toward his female foe. His strikes were getting closer and closer, yet they all came to a crashing halt.

Metallic claws gripped his shoulders, stopping his tirade with a gasp. Whoever the being was that held him, he was strong. Enerjak found himself flying toward the wall, where he crashed. The throw was so strong, it caused tears and ripples to line up the building side. Enerjak got to his feet moments later; his eyes shifting forward. His attacker was there, marching forward slowly.

E-123 Omega stepped closer and closer, fire burning within his optics. He could have rained bullets, rockets, and lasers upon his foe, but he did not. No, he wanted to kill a god with his own bare hands. Hey, if anyone could do it, was Omega.

"Foolish machine..." Enerjak growled, he too marching forward.

He and Omega quickly made way toward the same position, and as they stared each other now, they struck one another. Fists collided into fists, quickly grabbing a hold of one another. Enerjak and Omega entered a battle of wills, as one tried to overpower the other. The ground shook and quaked thanks to their amazing strength alone.

Enerjak started headbutting his foe moments later, only for Omega to retaliate in the same way. Not wanting to be outdone, Enerjak headbutted him back. This, in turn, caused Omega headbutt back as well. Over and over again, the combatants struck each other in an attempt to win this violent tussle. It all ended when the two slammed their heads into one another, at the same time.

"Impressive for a robot," Enerjak stated, "You hold the Omega symbol on your shoulders... you rightfully deserve it..."

"I shall destroy you, and reign supreme!" E-123 stated with a roar.

"Not likely..."

Enerjak suddenly roared. A green wave of power flew from the god's mouth, throwing Omega away. The robot landed onto his back. Though that wouldn't be enough to stop him, the ground he landed upon broke apart, dropping him into the expansive skies.

"Okay, whose next?" the god inquired smugly.

A punch, across his face. Enerjak grew wide-eyed. There was no one there. Another punch, to his gut. He growled, only for a kick to the back. Turning around, he still saw nothing, and no one. There wasn't a single being around him. He punched and kicked randomly into the air, while invisible strikes struck him along his body.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" he suddenly barked.

His shout caused the area around him to erupt into rocks. He heard a grunt through it, and watched a purple being fazed into existence, whilst flying away. Espio landed on his back, though he rolled on the earth thanks to the momentum he gained. When he stopped, he expertly landed onto his feet as well. Golden eyes glaring forward, he eyed the being he had the misfortune to face. He may have been confident in his skills, but a god was _slightly _above his pay grade. Robots, yes. Super robots, cool, let's go. But gods? No, no.

Nevertheless, he withdrew his kunai and prepared himself for battle.

"Is that all you got?" Espio asked, "I'm quite disappointed.

"All you mortals are the same..." Enerjak bemoaned, "Just so willing to throw your life away. No matter..."

Espio prepared himself, then rushed forward. His kunai slashed through the air in an effort to strike the echidna god. He came close to hitting Enerjak quite a few times, but the god was surprising deceptive. Even Espio had to admit that.

A shade engulfed the two. Enerjak and Espio stared up at the same time. It was a crocodile, who was falling upon them. Vector's dual-fist slam, struck the echidna god in the head. The blow dazed Enerjak, in all honesty. By the time he regained his composure, his face met Vector's shoulder. The strike pushed the god away, giving Espio ample time to act. He slashed his kunai into Enerjak's clothing, severing blue shreds from his full-body armor.

He quickly prepared a shuriken next, readying himself to end the god before him. But Enerjak would not be stopped so soon. It would take more than two fools to best him. Hell, it would take more than one thousand, ten thousand, ten _million! _Enerjak was greater than them all!

He roared once more, pushing away the enemies around him. Espio crashed into Vector, and they both crashed into a pillar. From beneath his helmet, Enerjak laughed. He was superior, not these fools.

"Mighty! Atomic Strike!" Sonic's voice cried.

Enerjak spun around, seeing twin spheres of blue and red dash around him. The rolling balls twirled around him over and over again, kicking up wind with their impressive speeds. When he tried to hit them with one of his blasts, he missed horribly. He did this three times before that red sphere dashed toward him.

Enerjak's eyes widened. Mighty spun dashed right through his feet, knocking him off of his toes. The echidna god watched next as a blue sphere dashed right into his line of vision. Sonic uncurled, lifted both feet, then kicked the god skyward. He watched the red sky fly closer, and also a being move toward him. Mighty uncurled from his shielded position, lifted his powerful fist, then slammed it down upon the god's face.

He may not have looked it, but that armadillo was a strong being. For you see, his punch _cracked _Enerjak's helmet, severing it into two. The helmet fell, and so did Enerjak. Mighty landed on his feet next to Sonic, while everyone else rushed up behind them. They all watched in unison as Enerjak returned to his feet. Boy did he look familiar. Hell, he looked like Knuckles, except his eyes were red.

"Knuckles!?" Amy gasped, "We were... fighting Knuckles!?"

"Knuckles?" the echidna remarked, "No, no... you do not face Knuckles..." he gazed up to them all, his eyes now fully red, "YOU FACE A GOD!"

He rose his hands, clenched his fists, and fired a shock wave of unimaginable power. The attack struck them all, sending their bodies flailing into the sky. One after another, they landed. Sonic, Amy, Mighty, Rouge, Omega, Vector, Espio, they all fell at his toes. Growling in pain, there was virtually nothing they could do. Enerjak's attack was so strong, it rendered them paralyzed for the time being. How sad.

"Is this it?" the god asked as he walked forward, "Are these the mighty defenders of the world!? This is the Freedom Fighters!? This is Sonic Heroes!? A bunch of misguided teenagers!?" he glared down upon them with an eye of disappointment, "Fools, you should have known this was a battle you could not win. You could have lived for the time being, enjoyed the last remaining moments of life. But no, no, no, you decided to be heroes, you decided to throw your lives away for such a fruitless cause..." he smiled, "No matter. You will all wake up one day, in a world crafted after _my _image..." he shoved forced his open palm, "Hmph... you fools don't even _deserve _to be destroyed by my hands..." he began charging an attack, "But do not fret, I shall _grace_ you with such an honor."

He fired his attack. It was small, yet great. When it detonated, it would engulf _everyone_. Fortunately for Sonic Heroes, the blast never landed. It was deflected, and sent careening into the sky. The blast exploded some distance away. Enerjak stared down to the person who opposed him. It was a black being, with a golden crest on his face. Blue eyes which shined brilliantly, he also had a blue oval on his forehead.

He looked familiar. Yeah. He looked just like a Gizoid, only _better_.

"You. Don't. Hurt. My. Friends." Gemerl stated as he pointed his finger at the god.

"Great, someone else who wishes to die..." he shook his head as his face grew lax, "Fine then. Come on, let me kill you too..."

As if he needed to ask. The next moment happened in such a rapid blur, Enerjak had no idea what to make of the situation. He just remembered being punched, as Gemerl occupied the area he once stood. He struck the echidna god over and over again, with punches much to quick to block or dodge. One in the face, another the chest, the gut too, everywhere. The last strike wasn't a punch, but instead a blast on par with the god's own attacks.

Enerjak was thrown away by the blast, though he skidded to a halt on his feet. Glaring up to his enemy, he started to growl.

"You!" he yelled as Gemerl slowly approached him, "You've been scanning me this entire time, haven't you!? You've copied my abilities!"

Gemerl's answer? He opened his hands, causing twin thunderbolts to strike them. Pulling back his hands, he lobbed both lightning bolts toward his foes. Both struck Enerjak in the chest, throwing him away into the ruins of Sky Sanctuary. The high-end Gizoid stopped, his blue eyes scanning his foes movements. Unfortunately for him, he witnessed an amazing spike in Chaos Energy. Enerjak stood from the hole in the wall, his eyes as red as Hell.

Enerjak rushed out in an attack Gemerl had never seen before. His entire body was engulfed in a burning green aura. The Gizoid tried to stop the strike by blocking it. The tactic didn't work. Enerjak tore through Gemerl's arm and shoulder, severing the two from the rest of his body. The robot cried in pain, while the god landed on the other end. He turned around, watching as Gemerl struggled to remain standing. The god charged up one final blast, preparing to kill the robot who stood away from him.

Shadows loomed overhead. The god stared up; his eyes running across the hulls of various fish-shaped vehicles. That was odd. They weren't the hard-edged ships belonging to the G.U.N. Air Fleet, these were different. These ships held a certain doctor's insidious insignia upon it.

He heard metallic feet landed behind him. This caused him to growl.

"I defeated you once..." the god stated, "Yet you have returned..." he spun around, seeing the blue demon, "What do you want!"

Metal Sonic's eye gleamed bright, only to settle shortly after.

"I can't believe it," Sonic remarked as he stood up, "I'm being saved by Metal Sonic..." he looked up, "And old Eggbutt... Wow..."

"Shut your mouth, Sonic!" Dr. Robotnik's voice boomed from nowhere, "Metal Sonic! Kill Enerjak!"

The blue demon's eyes flared again. His thrusters ignited, sending fire roaring through the area. He dashed forward, fist held high, preparing to kill the god that stood some yards away. Enerjak struck first however, but his fist failed. He hit nothing. The god's eyes widened, as Metal Sonic appeared from behind. The blue demon struck with a kick, jabbing him into his spine. The strike locked Enerjak up; he couldn't move. Metal Sonic appeared in front of him next, strike with yet another kick. The attack sent the god skyward where he ran into, of all people, Metal Sonic once again. He kicked the god up once again, and once again, he reappeared behind him. He delivered on final kick, which sent Enerjak falling into the ground. But Metal Sonic was not finished. He charged a beam in his chest cavity and fired.

The laser strike struck Enerjak, slamming him into Sky Sanctuary, and uprooting piles of rocks. Metal Sonic landed; his optics holding hard on the god's hide.

"No... no... you won't kill me..." Enerjak stated, making Metal Sonic step back.

The god stood again, his face oddly content. He opened his red orbs, and stared to the sky. He had battled all day. The sun was gone, instead replaced by moonlight. The stars gleamed so brilliantly. Where was _he _amongst them? Where was the being he _hated _for so many years?

Where was the Starman? Where was the Starman?

"ENERJAK!"

The god's eyes widened. Metal Sonic stared up. Sonic did too, and so did the rest of his allies. It was odd. One of those stars was falling. Falling, falling, falling, right toward the earth. The god cocked his head in wonderment, while the falling star grew closer. The sky flashed, for that heavenly body was now in the atmosphere. It was truly a sight to behold, an amazing one. A brilliant one. A _godly _one.

The flashing sphere landed on the roads of Sky Sanctuary. It flashed a few more times, before finally dying out. He was clad entirely in armor. From head to toe. It was silver and black, a color befitting his starlight origins. A red cloak flowed from his shoulders, falling down toward his feet. The man before them shuffled his hands into his cape, covering them and his entire body in it. The helmet on his head, while echidna-like, was so very different. Yet in the center of this helm, was a symbol. The symbol of a _star_.

He gazed into Enerjak with blue eyes that opposed the god's red ones. He appeared to be superior to all. Was he superior to all? Was it a question that could be asked? Was it a question that _should _be asked.

But above all, who was this being that gave off an aura of benevolence, yet cruelty? Enerjak had the answer.

"Starman..."

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_It's funny what bedfellows you create when the time comes. Sonic and his friends teaming up with the Eggman Empire to defeat an enemy of greater power. Fun isn't it?_

_So this entire fight was literally one big battle. Sonic Heroes vs. Enerjak, with Enerjak pretty much ruling the fight throughout all of it. Seriously, he owned all of them. Sure, there were moments where they were pushing back, but one by one they failed. You know why? Because Enerjak is awesome. Very awesome. You know, I kind of mixed up the Team of Sonic Heroes. I mean we're missing some people. Knuckles, because he's Enerjak, Shadow, because you know why, Cream, because she's in no condition to battle, and Big, because he sucks. Seriously, Big sucks. Sorry if you like him. But we do have Mighty, Hope, Metal Sonic, and Gemerl replacing some of them. All though Hope didn't fight, because she's, ya'know, a teenage girl. There's no way she'd fight a god. But she is helpful, you can't say she isn't. _

_By the by, why doesn't Mighty and Gemerl appear anymore? They just disappeared from the face of the earth. Why? Especially Gemerl. you'd think Sonic would be more pressed to bring along a super robot to help him out on adventures. I don't know, I guess we just ignore it, huh?_

_Some trivia in this chapter; Team Dark's flag ship is called the Black Hawk. It's something I made up, but this isn't the first story it's appeared it. It appeared in Shadows of Maria, where the heroes, once again, used it to invade something. In that story, was a flying saucer. Some more trivia for the Black Hawk, its named after a species of Black Arms._

_You know, in comparisons to Shadows of Maria, I think this is a much better sequel. I liked Shadows of Maria when I was writing it at the time, but I think it was a poor sequel all together. Shadows of Hope is great, but the sequel is meh. But this, I swear, I love writing Howls from the Past. It feels, dare I say, perfect? No, maybe not perfect, but its close, I know that much._

_One final thing, the Starman has finally returned. He's much different from how he was four thousand years ago. How different? You'll have to see in the next chapter my faithful readers._

_Hm. It's almost Judgement Day._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	24. Crisis

Crisis

They stayed close to her. She knew this place. She lived in this place. All her short life, she lived here. The magenta echidna turned around. She saw a pair of blue eyes gaze back. The yellow fox, and the blonde haired teen. Both young geniuses. Hm, something about that seemed odd.

"How much farther?" Hope asked with a raised eyebrow, "I can hear the earth-shaking outside."

"Just stick close," Julie-Su ordered as she lifted her coveted pistol, "And be silent. The Gizoids may be outside, but you can bet father has this place well-guarded." her eyes slid into a squint, "He was always a stickler for heavy guarded areas..."

The trio trekked down the many cold halls of the base in a single-filed line. Tails behind Julie-Su, Hope behind Tails. The many howls of destruction, echoed outside. Explosions, gunfire, lasers on both ends, they all sounded off together. They were shocking to someone like Hope, who was used to the safety of her base. Tails was a little more used to it, while Julie-Su could care less. Her mind laid upon something important.

The magenta echidna suddenly stopped, stopping both Tails and Hope behind her. Her reflective indigo eyes moved up to the name of this hall way. Hallway CH-32. This was where all the horror lay. She placed her hand upon the panel, opening the door to the hallway. It didn't take long to open up, revealing a cold room filled with capsules. Julie-Su stepped in first, followed by her subordinates. Tails and Hope gazed to the capsules with wide eyes, trying to understand what sat within. It was obvious to them that Julie-Su knew. She wasn't going to answer, however.

But they had a job to do, they couldn't take detours. Tails knew this, and he wasn't going to wait to express his displeasure.

"Julie-Su," he called, "We need to hurry before things get to bad! Where are they holding Tikal, and where is this base's power source?"

"Just shut-up, and keep following me!" she yelled, causing the fox to lock up in place.

She didn't bother to explain her outburst. This was her home, this was the place where she heard so many lies. He better just follow and listen. Her purple eyes moved over to the various capsules around them. She placed her hand upon one, feeling its freezing touch. She didn't like it, not one bit. But Tails was right; they had a job to do. She couldn't take out her revenge now that would have to come later. Right?

"It looks like the sheep has come back to the flock... how funny, couldn't stay away?"

The voice shook everyone. Tails and Hope gazed away to the being who spoke to them, with Julie gazing away next slowly. Their eyes settled upon a woman sitting upon one of the capsules, her whip in hand. She gazed down with reflective indigo eyes, smiling a sultry smile that was near malicious. Lien-Da pulled her whip and snapped it, causing a cackling sound to echo through the cold room.

"Ready for me to put you in your place, girl?" she asked with a sadistic chuckle, before leaping over the edge, "I can't wait myself."

"Who's that?" Hope asked as she cowered behind Julie-Su and Tails.

"A nuisance..." the magenta echidna remarked.

"Oh, _I'm _a nuisance!?" Lien-Da answered with a chuckle, "Really, girl? You say that to me? Especially after what I did to you?"

"The other night was a mere fluke," Julie snarled, "You got the better of me because of the dark, not because of skill!" she rose her pistol, "I hope you're ready for this. Round two will be much different!"

"Prove it..." Lien-Da demanded.

The dominatrix pulled back her whip, causing it to dance skillfully in the air. The next moment she struck, splitting the air with its black wire. Julie dodged it, while at the same time counter attacking with her pistol. She fired round after round at Lien-Da's direction, causing the dominating echidna to leap for safety. She landed on another pod, only to be sent running as Julie continued to fire upon her.

With one leap, Lien-Da pressed a button on her whips handle. She caused the thin wire to erupt with electricity, as she spun in the air. Gazing down, she struck at her foe on the floors. Julie-Su leaped back dodging the attack barely. Lien-Da landed, and once again started to dance her whip in the air. While she did so, she smiled. This fight wasn't going to well.

"Tails, Hope, head out the opposite door, my father has maps on various walls of the base, you should be able to find the power center thanks to them..." she looked behind to the cowering fox and human, "Now run!"

"You don't have to tell us twice!" Hope cried, "C'mon Tails!"

But the fox didn't want to leave his ally behind. Cowering in fear wasn't something he was supposed to do. But that Lien-Da woman, she was _wild_. She was _different_. A kind of different he didn't want to know.

"Okay, Julie..." he stated as he walked back and away, "Just be careful..."

He and hope escaped through the back door, leaving the magenta echidna alone. She steadied her pistol as Lien-Da walked forward.

"Poor choice, girl," Lien-Da stated with her sexy smile, "You're gonna pay for it..."

"We'll see..." Julie answered, "We will see..."

She fired.

…

He did not move. Movement, was something that was beneath him. A being of his caliber, a _god_of his caliber, does not walk. And yet, he was bound by mortal rules. Did he have any emotions? Lying beneath that silver helm, no one could tell. Did he even exist? No breath, came from his covered mouth, nor did his chest move up and down, with a heart. It was hard to accept this. To take in the fact, that a god now walked among mortals.

His red cape wavered with every step he took. His blue eyes shined brilliantly, much different from the echidna god before him. Red and blue, evil and good, Enerjak and the Starman. Judgment day. The Starman stood before them all. The _real_ Starman. Not seen since his battle four thousand years ago.

The warrior of the stars stopped, now standing before his ultimate foe. The echidna god gained a smile befitting his destructive nature, while he peered into the star god's blue eyes. The Starman merely cocked his head.

But then, he walked passed his foe and toward the heroes behind them. The Starman stopped right at Sonic, and gazed deeply into the blue hedgehog's green eyes.

"Tails, Hope, and Julie-Su need your help within the base... I recommend you hurry..."

When the Starman spoke, it was without emotion of any kind. It was such a powerful sounding voice however, much akin to his celestial origins. He was no man, he was a god. But that could not be. Sonic had seen the Starman before, he knew who he was. Tikal made that known many times before.

"Shadow?" he asked back, "Is that you?"

"STARMAN!" Enerjak roared, "YOU DARE TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!?"

The star god straightened up, before turning around to face his enemy. Enerjak's face was flared red with rage, well, redder. He was fuming, his powers in flux, causing Sky Sanctuary to rumble beneath his feet. Yet the Starman was not scared. He continued eying down his foe, but with such a belittling nature.

"I turn my back on you, Enerjak..." the Starman answered.

"You shall fall because of it..." the echidna remarked as he prepared to battle.

"I turn my back on you, because you mean _nothing _to me..." the warrior of the stars added.

"I MEAN NOTHING!?"

"I defeated _and_ killed four thousand years ago..." he pulled his hand from his cape, causing it to erupt into green fires, "I can defeat _and _kill you now... and if you rise once more from now, I shall defeat _and _kill you in the future..."

"You retain that foolish bravado, even over the millenniums," Enerjak commented, "Have you forgotten the near death I delivered upon you the last time?"

"Near death doesn't equal death..." the Starman answered, "Or have you forgotten because I killed you?"

"I lacked a body which could hold my godly physique," Enerjak stated, "That is why I failed the last time. But now, I shall crush you beneath my toes..."

"Then do it..."

The god didn't wait. He just rushed him; Enerjak rushed the Starman. Their hands slammed into one another, but his force was not great enough. He couldn't push the Starman off his feet, no matter how hard he tried. Suddenly, the warrior of the stars struck the echidna with a headbutt, dislodging the hold he had on him. Enerjak stepped back, his eyesight dazed, when his face met a powerful fist. It threw him away, sending him crashing through the glass of windows. The Starman straightened up, and began to check his metal covered hand.

"Seriously though," Sonic stammered as he ran to the Starman's side, "You are Shadow, right?"

"You're still here?" the god answered, "I thought I told you to help out your friends..." he began flying into the air, "You better listen, or else..."

He brought back his hand; a golden-yellow energy now charging within it. Without thinking or waiting, he fired that blast toward his incapacitated foe. When his chaotic attacks landed, Sky Sanctuary erupted into yellow explosions. From one of these explosions, Enerjak rushed out, hands forward. He tackled the Starman, slamming him into the wall of a building side. The echidna's face was filled with hate and malice, while his hands wrapped around his neck.

"Die!" he could be heard chanting as he choked the Starman, "DIE!"

Suddenly, the warrior of the stars exploded, expelling a red shock wave from his body. The attack sent Enerjak flying back, though he quickly recoiled. The Starman charged up his hands, before firing a series of blasts Enerjak's way. The echidna god flew up and down, dodging the attacks, before counterattacking with a green blast of his own. The Starman merely slapped it out-of-the-way, however, sending it careening into the night-time sky.

"Is that all, Enerjak?" the Starman inquired, "You seemed so sure of your victory before... I heard your rant against Sonic Heroes. It was pretty boastful..."

"You dare belittle me!" the god roared.

He caused thunderbolts to strike his fists, super charging his hands. He rushed forward to deliver a punch of earth shattering proportions. The star god blocked it. The collision triggered an air of explosion, blowing back the echidna ruins they brawled upon. When the explosion subsided, the Starman fell. He landed on his feet, while Enerjak's cocky voice echoed from above.

"What's wrong, Starman? Have you realized your ostentation was misplaced?" the echidna god inquired with a chuckle.

"Have you realized _your _ostentation was misplaced?" the Starman asked back.

Enerjak cocked his head in confusion, only to hear a pulse echo behind him. He spun around, seeing a bubble of Chaos Energy floating behind him. It exploded, throwing the god away. He growled in rage, whilst wincing in pain. Eyes opening, his face met fist. The attack sent him flying to the earth, where he crashed into dirt and grass. Eyes opening, Enerjak realized he had not landed on Sky Sanctuary. No, this was Angel Island. How appropriate.

His red eyes aimed up, watching as the Starman descended upon him. The echidna god stood up, arms crossed, eyes as red as hell. He was filled with burning rage.

"I hate you..." the god stated.

"Likewise..." the Starman answered.

They rushed each other once more, triggering another detonation of sound and force.

…

"I brought her, Finitevus..."

He straightened up, while he heard her body being flung behind him. When she landed, it wasn't without obscenities. She was angry, and rightfully so. He, on the other hand, was quite different.

"Thank you, Lien-Da," he answered, "Now leave us, there are agents outside that need dealing with..."

"Ditto..." the dominatrix answered before leaving.

The albino echidna's optics flashed at first. This room was different from others. Many Gizoids, not fit for battle, walked around, checking various machinery. There was a hologram of the entire planet, showing various cities and such. One such city was red, for some reason. Around Angel Island was various ships, ships that wanted him dead. Fools; he wasn't going to go down after all of this. It wasn't even an argument. It was true. He would _not _be bested.

"Father..." she growled behind him.

Dr. Finitevus finally turned around to the magenta echidna behind him. She was tied up, arms behind her back, legs constricted to restrict movement. Seeing his daughter like this _should _hurt a father. But Finitevus didn't care.

"You see this?" he asked as he pointed to the planet, "This is going to be _our _planet soon..."

"Not ours," she snarled, "_Yours!_ You never intended to bring our people back, did you!? Your psychotic!"

He walked forward and grabbed her face.

"No, no, that's not completely true..." he pulled her up so she stood on her feet, "I do want our people to return to its former glory. I want echidna's everywhere, but can't you see? This is the only way..."

"There is _always_ another way!" Julie answered, "I don't know what you're planning, but it'll kill _everyone._ Won't it?"

"I must clean the filth from the planet, Julie..." he answered, "That is the only way the echidna race will return to power. Once all the rest of the trash has been cleaned, then purity can make its way."

"Who are you!?" she barked next, "This isn't something my father would say! Are you even my father? Who am I!?"

"So many questions..." Finitevus answered, "And I guess I'm obligated to tell you, hm?"

The base shook. The image of the earth shifted. Instead it showed Enerjak, and the _Starman_. Finitevus cocked his head in surprise as he watched the two gods war outside. He knew it was only a short amount of time before the Starman appeared, but he appeared to be so different. Gone was the black and red hedgehog, instead was this armored being filled with power. Impressive, to say the least.

"Haven't you ever wondered about yourself?" Finitevus asked, "Julie-Su..." he turned around and gazed at her, "Your name, even, it's all so... _mechanical_, so... _artificial_..." he dropped her down on a chair as he walked over to his command console, "You are my daughter, Julie... in a way..." he looked at her, "Julie-Su. The last part of your name is ancient echidna for 'six'. Julie-Six. You are, technically, my sixth daughter..." he began growling, "Su was also the last part of my sister's name before she left the Nocturnus tribe! Akna-Su..."

"So... what...?" Julie asked, growing a bit crestfallen, "I'm... not... real?"

"Oh no, you're real..." he answered, "When you look at Lien-Da, don't you find her to be somewhat... familiar?" he turned around to her, "It is because I used Lien-Da as a base for you, and my other daughters, while also using my other genes..."

"Other daughters? You... had five more before me, didn't you?" she inquired next.

"And thousands of misfires in between..." he sighed, "Julie the first was perfect, created her a few hundred years after I died... But I screwed up with her thanks to her genes. She had too much Lien-Da inside of her, which made her crazy and rebellious. I ended up locking her inside the Cloning Hall. Julie the second had a lot more of my genes and less Lien-Da. She was a genius, and worked alongside me always. But she lacked the killer instinct Lien-Da had, and was also a failure. I needed a perfect little soldier, not another scientist. Julie the third lacked my genes, for I instead used Dimitri's genetics. She grew up extremely cocky and self-confident. She also was the strongest when it came to Chaos Energy. I believe I created her sometime around the seventh century, though I'm not sure. I ended up freezing her too. She was much too strong to control. Julie the fourth went back to my genes and Lien-Da's genes, and it stayed that way from then on. She was the only clone to live a full life, and die. And lastly, Julie the fifth, the one before you," he turned around to look at the image of the Starman fighting Enerjak, "Julie the fifth ran into an issue much like you. She learned the truth about my intentions, and who she was. She learned about the other clones, and as such, she tried to leave. I ended up killing her..." he shook his head, "One by one, my clones failed, save for one. I often lauded you as the most perfect clone, until this little mishap. You were going to watch the echidna race return, but you threw all that away. Makes me wonder why I decided to have children."

Julie-Su started crying, much to his surprise. Tears strolled down her face, as she learned that her life was, essentially, a lie. She was just some clone. No, she wasn't a clone, she was nothing more than a genetic experiment, one groomed to be a warrior and nothing else. Her father didn't even have love for her, despite her original thoughts.

"So what..." she stated through sobs, "Your my father, and Lien-Da is my mother?"

"The _original_ Lien-Da is your mother... in a way..." he answered, making her look up to him with questioning eyes, "The Lien-Da you met is technically your sister..."

"W... what...?" she inquired.

"That woman you met is _not _the original Lien-Da," he answered, "Thousands of years ago, Lien-Da clashed with the Starman at Glyphic Canyon. She was swallowed up by a tornado however, and tossed thousands of miles away. After the climactic battle between Enerjak and the Starman, I went looking for the woman," he gazed at his daughter through half-closed eyes, "I found her alright, at the bottom of a canyon. She was, apparently, through so hard into a cliff side, it broke her body. To be honest, the bitch deserved it. Lien-Da was as evil and heartless as they come. Still, I hated to see such a useful asset go to waste. I ended up using Lien-Da's body to clone her. I created the Julie's from her genes, and I created a perfect little clone," he return his sight to the console, "But the Lien-Das were even worse than the Julies. The clones aged at twice the rate, and died twice as fast. They all also had a combined trigger word. I ended up freezing up most of them, and trying my hardest to forget. But that Lien-Da is near perfect. She hasn't turned into cloning fluids yet..." he shook his head, "I created the Julie program to clear up the problems I created thanks to the Lien-Da failures."

"So... if your Lien-Da clones never failed..." she sulked back, "I wouldn't exist, would I?"

"Don't think of it like that," he answered, "Think of it as... if the Lien-Da clones worked, I probably would never have succeeded in my genetic endeavors. You should be proud, Julie-Su. Without you, the echidna race may have never returned!"

"And it won't!" she yelled, "We won't stop until you fall, father! We're not going to let you destroy the world."

"Brave words matter not here, Julie-Su!" he retorted, "Deal with it! The echidna race will return, and we shall be numerous! Just you wait and-"

Alarms. They blared throughout the halls of the base. Finitevus growled as he stared to the screens before him. They turned away from the Starman/Enerjak brawl, and instead to the intruders within his base. There was Omega, guns at the ready, leading Sonic, Rouge, Mighty, Espio, Charmy, Vector, Gemerl, and Metal Sonic. On another screen, there were two more individuals. A yellow fox, and a blonde girl. They were placing what appeared to be explosives in the power room. Seeing it made Finitevus flinch. If the bomb detonated, _everything _would be gone.

Everything!

He suddenly jumped up from his chair, the feeling of urgency rushing through his veins.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" Julie-Su asked from behind, "Beginning to regret those maps you placed on all the halls?"

He turned to her, seeing an uppity visage written upon that pretty little face of hers. Growling, he rose his hand and struck her, right across the cheek. She was dazed by the assault, but otherwise conscious.

"If those bombs go off, I'll make sure you go off with them!" he roared, "Gizoids! Prepare the launch! I have to go and deal with a few nuisances..."

He marched off soon after, disappearing inside yet another hall.

…

She pulled out her gun, sliding it from her overall pocket. Pressing her back to the wall, she swallowed her spit in fear. She lined the dark room with her blue eyes, trying to understand the terror she put herself in.

"Please, hurry up Tails," Hope begged, "I don't like this place..." she constantly gazed left and right, "It gives me the shivers plus..." she gazed down to the pistol in her hand, "I'm not sure I'm as skilled with this thing as I lead people to believe..."

"I'm working as fast as I can," the child prodigy answered as he fiddled with the various explosives, "And stop waving that thing around. I don't want it going off prematurely..."

Hope squinted a few times, as she analyzed his words.

"Hey... are you hitting on me?" she asked.

"WHAT!?" he replied in the only way he could.

Before this creepy conversation could continue, the door opened. Hope ducked down immediately, freezing to a complete halt. Tails did likewise, dropping to the floor and growing as silent as he possibly could. The door closed, plunging the room into darkness once more. Hope and Tails gazed into one another eyes, as their intruder got closer to them. Then again, they were the intruders.

The footsteps marched closer and closer, echoing over the hard metal floors. Then they stopped. Everything seemed to stop because of it. What next?

Terror.

Hope felt a hard grip around her neck. She was lifted up by this being who was slowly increasing the pressure he had on her windpipe. Anymore, and she was sure this being would crush her throat entirely.

"LET GO OF HER!" Tails cried as he used his Magical Arm.

You know, the Magical Arm. That mechanical fist he summons from nowhere using science. Sweet beautiful science.

The Magical Arm dashed forward, striking the man who held Hope by her throat. He was knocked back, but quickly recoiled. The two prodigies gazed upon their attacker in unison, seeing golden optics glare back.

"You are going to regret that, you little runts..." Finitevus stated as his fingers crackled with chaotic energies, "And yes, it _will_ be painful!"

He pushed his hands forward, and sent a series of lightning bolts forward. Tails lifted a machine from his waist, causing it to project a purple shield over him and Amy. The electrical bolts of power bounced off harmlessly, striking the areas around them. Finitevus tried to overpower the machine, but Tails' technology was more powerful than he expected. It took the doctor a while to realize why.

Tails' machines were powered by a red Chaos Emerald. One more out of the required seven, and one of the final two the doctor lacked. It seems the gods were smiling upon him with fortune.

Finitevus stopped shooting his bolts of power, and instead focused on another tactic. His super computer brain began to work, planning out the limited options Tails and Hope had to stop him. They may have been geniuses, but they were nowhere near as strong as he was. They weren't fighters, the poor fools.

"C'mon! Punch me!" the doctor egged on, "Do it!"

A gunfire shot to the face. He was pushed back, only to look back. The bullet Hope shot into him slammed in his face, only to bounce off and fall to the ground.

"Nice shot!" he stated, "Didn't work!"

He suddenly dashed forward, delivering a kick straight to Hope's chest. She was thrown back by the attack, bouncing off of a machine as she collided with it. Falling face forward, she was out like a light. The poor girl was best a mechanic; she was not cut out for this soldier business.

With one less person to deal with, Finitevus shifted his gaze over to Tails. The yellow fox stepped back and away, trying his hardest to come up with a counterattack. But Finitevus was too quick; he dashed up and wrapped his hand around the boy's neck. Holding him high in a grasp so powerful, he prepared to kill the boy. His eyes trekked down to the red Emerald on his waist however, where he suddenly swiped it.

"Thanks for this," he remarked, "You've made my life so much easier!"

Then he applied even more pressure to Tails' neck. The fox screamed out in pain, but those screams were growing muffled. Finitevus smiled a sadist's smile, as the seconds blended into seconds. A few more moments from now, the boy would be dead. No interruptions.

One interruption.

A fist slashed across Finitevus face, knocking him back and away as he relinquished the hold he had on Tails. He quickly recoiled and gazed forward. His eyes fell upon Sonic's blue frame.

"Dammit..." he groaned, "How'd you get in here so fast?"

"I'm the fastest thing alive," the hedgehog answered, "You should know that, doc..."

"To bad you're not the strongest!" Finitevus roared back.

He began to strike, but bullets spread into the room. Powerful bullets. Finitevus gazed to the door, seeing Omega poised with his machine guns. He spread fire upon his enemy, trying to kill Finitevus on the spot. The doctor quickly leaped back and away however. To his surprise, he found himself surrounded. Not only was Sonic, Omega, and Rouge here, but so were many G.U.N. Soldiers. This wasn't the prime position to be in.

Instead of fighting, the doctor rose the Chaos Emerald in hand. Omega prepared to fire, but it was too late.

"CHAOS CONTROL!" Finitevus roared.

He vanished from the spot, taking him and the red Chaos Emerald away. Omega lowered his weapon, as his attentions shifted elsewhere. Rouge landed down beside Hope, who had gained a few resemblance of consciousness.

"Oh... Rouge..." the girl said as she wrapped her dainty mechanic arms around the bat's neck, "I'm so tired... I wanna go home..."

"That's... nice dear..." the bat answered.

"Hey, Tails," Sonic called as he helped his friend to his feet, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Sonic," he answered, "But... give me a second..."

He suddenly dropped down to the bombs on the floor. Grabbing the wires that stretched from them, he connected the explosives together.

"Alright, let's get out of here and find Tikal!"

…

The god floated there, his powerful gasps for breath escaping his maw. He glared forward with burning red eyes, peering into the star-sent being which hovered before him. Just seeing the hedgehog was enough to make the echidna's blood boil. He began growling, showing all just how angry he was now, and forever more.

"STARMAN!" Enerjak barked, shaking the land around them.

"Enerjak..." the hedgehog answered solemnly.

He landed down upon the ground, arms crossed, blue eyes shining like the daylight sky. He opened his palm, causing a javelin to erupt in his midst. The Starman suddenly dashed forward, causing Enerjak to prepare himself. He dodged the first swipe of the Chaos born javelin, only to fail at dodging the next. It slashed across his cheek, making blood fly. Enerjak struck his enemy with a punch to the chest, but that armor was too great. The Starman swung with the blunt end of his javelin, striking Enerjak across the face. The god was rendered dazed, and as such, he couldn't stop the foot which kicked his feet.

The Starman shoved his foot behind Enerjak's feet, causing him to trip and fall upon his back. He quickly continued his assault by leaping on the echidna's chest, with the javelin poised for murder. He aimed the blade down on Enerjak's head, holding it a mere few inches from his face. He could have ended it there, killing him and ending everything. But he didn't. And Enerjak knew why.

The echidna was, at first, confused. But a few moments later, he realized why the Starman had not killed him yet.

"You can't kill me, can you?" the god asked smugly, "You don't want to, do you?" he leaned closer, "Is it because you know me? You know the being that I have possessed? Is that why you won't kill me? Because you know the being named, Knuckles?"

"Leave his body, now..." the Starman ordered, "Or else..."

"HAH!" Enerjak roared, "Your empty threats mean nothing to me, Starman! So long as I am in control of this mortal's body, whatever you do to me will happen to him, don't you know!? Killing me won't solve anything, though you will kill Knuckles. Nice to know, right?"

"My sentence is for you, and you alone, Enerjak. The being known as Knuckles shall _not_ meet his sentence today..." he stepped forward dauntingly, "Leave his body. Now!"

"You'll have to kill me for that to happen!"

He laughed maniacally, while the Starman cocked his head. Enerjak laughed for as long as a could, before a fist slammed into his open maw. He was thrown away by the attack, and sent plummeting through the steel hulls of Finitevus' base. He was rendered dazed by the attack, though the echidna quickly recoiled.

"I said leave his body!" the Starman roared, growing uncharacteristically angry, "Or I shall make your stay very, _very_, unenjoyable..."

He suddenly dashed into the echidna god, slamming him into the wall once more. Over and over again, he pelted his face with a fist. But Enerjak never fought back. In fact, he laughed, which made the Starman stop. He was injuring Knuckles' face.

"What's wrong, Starman?" the god inquired, "Why don't you put me in my place!?"

The Starman growled, only to explode. The force of his detonation threw Enerjak away. He coughed in pain, only to gaze up to his four thousand-year-old foe. The Starman slowly walked forward, his hands surging with power.

"I. Said. Leave!"

He threw the blast he was charging, causing it to embed itself in the area next to the echidna's head. The attack was _too_ close for comfort. One inch over, and Enerjak could have been dead. Well, not Enerjak, but Knuckles. And the god knew this.

"See! I was correct!" he roared, "You won't kill me!"

"Hiding will only delay the inevitable," the Starman remarked, "I _will_ sentence you, Enerjak..."

"Then do it! Sentence me to death! Kill me, Starman!" he egged on with a smile, "Kill me!"

The Starman created another lance of power. He slammed his foot on the red echidna's chest, keeping him pinned to the earth. It was obvious to all that his patience had been tested; he was ready to end this. Even if it meant killing an innocent.

Even if it meant ending the echidna race _forever_.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Boy, I have a raging head ache! I cannot wait to go to bed, but I have to talk first. Grumble grumble..._

_Anywho, this chapter. I like this chapter, it's so much fun. Most specifically, we learn about Julie-Su, and who she is. Just so you guys know, do not take this as canon with the comics. Julie-Su is not a clone of Lien-Da mixed with Fintievus' own DNA. Though, in the comics, she is Lien-Da's half sister. Food for thought, huh?_

_The Starman is also faced with an interesting dilemma. If he kills Enerjak, he'll kill Knuckles, and that's not cool, now is it? I will say this though. In the next chapter, at least one echidna will die. At least one._

_And just so you know, the past few chapters spell out a sentence. Starting with chapter 21, the sentence reads out 'Countdown to Final Crisis'. Not only is this a name for a DC comic event, this is also tells the state of this story. The Final Crisis is about to happen, whatever that crisis may be._

_This battle's about to explode!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	25. Launch Date

Launch Date

He etched the blade closer and closer. It was hovering only a few inches from the echidna's face, and was only growing closer. Inches, now centimeters, now millimeters, closer still. The blade was now touching the outer edge of his red fur. He could have easily dashed forward. He could've stabbed it through, killing the echidna on the receiving end. Doing so would rid the world of another menace, but it would also rid the world of an endangered species. Could he really kill off the last of the echidnas? Could he really end thousands of years of life?

In all honesty. Yes. But this was not the decision a god should make. This was not a decision he should ever make. The Starman, the very prevailer of justice within the world, pulled back the lance in his hand. Doing so caused the weapon to vanish from his finger tips. It also made the echidna on the ground laugh dementedly.

"HAH! I KNEW IT!" Enerjak roared, "You can't kill me, can you!? You little weakling! You were always weak! You gain power from something as foolish as _emotions!_ You _care_ too much, Starman! And it's because of that, that you fail!"

"I fail?" the Starman replied, "Funny. I do remember killing you..." he suddenly grabbed the echidna god by his neck, raising him high into the sky, "Begone from his body, Enerjak. NOW!"

"Empty threats! As usual!" the echidna roared back.

Shaking violently, he gave a shout from his mouth. The shout caused the Starman to release his foe while stepping back. His eyes shifted back forward, only to watch the once imperator laugh his heart out.

"Can't you see it, Starman!?" he inquired with a bark, "No matter what you do to me, it won't end this fight any sooner!" he stepped forward, "As long as I am in this boy's body, you can't hurt me! You will only kill him!" he stopped talking just for a little while, only so he could get a better view of his opponents face, "How do you feel about that?"

The Starman was shockingly quiet, as he refused to utter a single word. Enerjak was caught off guard by his opponents silence, though he did not announce his annoyances. He just stared into those blazing blue eyes. Those eyes which gave off so much hope.

"I realized that from the beginning..." the Starman stated, making Enerjak flinch, "I knew killing you would only kill Knuckles, and that is not what I set out to do..." he began marching forward, "I came to punish you and Finitevus, whilst ending this tirade you have..." he stopped when he stood only a few feet from his eternal enemy, "I also came to save Tikal..."

That last statement caught Enerjak off guard. He cocked his head whilst raising a brow at his enemy. Then it hit him. Tikal, she was the Emerald. Thinking about her made the echidna god laugh, which confused the Starman. What business did he have for laughing.

"You!" he yelled, "You don't know, do you!? You don't know what has happened to the Emerald!"

He was suddenly slammed up against the wall, as the Starman kept him pinned. The slam was powerful, and forced the air to evacuate from Enerjak's lungs. But it wasn't enough to silence him; he began laughing soon after.

"What did you do to her?" the Starman inquired, his rage returning tenfold.

"When you see her, you won't recognize her. That's all I can say."

He laughed again, which made his enemy roar. The Starman slammed a fist into the echidna's gut, before rising him high. Next, he slammed him into the metal floor, causing a dent. Yet Enerjak continued laughing. He kicked him a few times, but the laughing never subsided. The hedgehog god didn't care about anything anymore, he just wanted to silence his foe. He caused a javelin to form from Chaos, and aimed it down upon the echidna's head.

Just a quick stab. Everything will be okay. Just a quick stab. Everything will be okay. Just a quick stab. Everything will be okay.

No. It wouldn't.

But would he have done it? If the interruption had not come, would he have stabbed the echidna god? Would he have ended the life of an endangered species? Possibly, but we'll never know.

"Shadow, stop!..."

The armored star being faced away from the echidna, but ever so briefly. He tried to ignore the call which just echoed in his head, and instead pushed the blade down deeper.

"I said stop!" ignored, "STOP!" ignored, "STARMAN! STOP!"

That last one, he recognized. He slowly turned away to face the voice which called his name. They were all standing in the hall away from him, the heroes who stormed this base. Sonic, Amy, Rouge with Hope on her shoulders, Tails, and Omega. But he knew which one called his name specifically. The blue hedgehog, the annoying one.

"Finally! I got your attention," Sonic stated, "Shadow, what the heck are you doing!?"

The Starman shook his head however. He did not recognize the name the blue hero kept calling him. And honestly, it was beginning to annoy him.

"Begone, Sonic," the Starman warned, "And complete your mission," his vision shifted down to the smiling Enerjak, "I have a job to do..."

"Go ahead, Starman," the god egged on as his eyes squinted, "Kill me."

He rose his lance, but a hand stopped him from dropping it. It was that annoying blue hedgehog again. The Starman couldn't believe it. How _dare_ the hedgehog touch him? Did he not recognized the fact that he touched a god? Mortals these days, they believe themselves to be without peers.

"You're touching me..." the Starman remarked as he steadily rose his vision, "Why are you touching me?"

That cold emotionless voice, it caused the blue hedgehog to recant his earlier actions. He removed his hand from the Starman's wrist, stepping back a few feet as he did so. This being was Shadow, right? This was the black and red hedgehog he labeled 'rival', right? Then why did he act so different? Why did Sonic feel like this was a completely different person.

Because he _was _a different person. Shadow was strong, yes, Sonic would admit that. But Enerjak was stronger. He decimated Sonic Heroes by himself, without much of a hassle. But his bout with the Starman was completely different. The hedgehog god turned the tide of battle with his appearance alone. And this is why Sonic started to think otherwise of the star being's identity. Was Shadow strong enough to fight a god?

"Starman..." Enerjak called.

Both Sonic and the hedgehog god gazed down to the red being. His hand was glowing bright with destruction. The echidna fired.

The green fire-ball engulfed Sonic and the Starman whole. In the aftermath of the destruction, Enerjak rose up high, laughter flowing from his lips. He glared down to the smog he created with his blast, wondering if it was the attack which ended the Starman's life. Of course it wasn't, but he could believe right?

He noticed the Starman's burning blue eyes glare at him through the debris, which made him growl. Flying higher, he rushed through the rooftop of the base, destroying it with his body alone. With a mere wave of his cape, the Starman caused the smog to disperse from around him. He glared toward the hole Enerjak created, and prepared to give chase. But instead, he looked down to the blue hedgehog he held down.

"You ruined my chance, Sonic..." the Starman stated as he released the hedgehog, "I will remember that when your time comes..."

"I don't care who you are, Starman," the hedgehog retorted as he stepped a few feet back, "I'm not just going to let you kill Knuckles!"

"I'm not going to kill the Master Emerald Guardian," the god answered, "I was only holding Enerjak..."

Sonic gazed left and right before answering with,

"What?"

"I don't want to kill Knuckles," the Starman repeated, "I was only holding Enerjak down," he moved in closer, "I know your mission, Sonic. Destroy the base, rescue Tikal. It's simple..." he looked back up through the hole, watching as Enerjak hovered above, "But so long as Enerjak is here, your mission will not be easy. I did, after all, watch the destruction he rained upon you in the beginning..." he looked back down, "Find his head, and destroy it. That is the only way you will stop Enerjak..." the Starman began flying into the sky, "And don't you dare get in my way again!"

His entire body suddenly flashed a yellow color, and he rushed forward through the hole. Enerjak was caught off guard by the sudden force of speed, and as such couldn't defend himself from the attack. The Starman struck him with an elbow to the chin, knocking him away. He gave chase shortly after, preparing himself for another tussle with the echidna god.

Sonic glared up through the hole longingly, trying to understand who that being was. Was the Starman really a god?

"The Starman has a point, Sonic," Rouge's voice called as a silent Hope toiled on her shoulder, "We need to hurry..."

"Yeah... we do..." he answered.

…

"Those fools are pushing through, Finitevus!"

"I know, Lien-Da!"

"That hedgehog and his crew are defeating our Gizoids, Finitevus!"

"I know! Lien-Da!"

"Why are we just sitting around doing nothing then!?"

He suddenly turned to her, shooting a glare that showed his golden eyes. That sight stopped Lien-Da square in her tracks, but it didn't make her loose that face of hers. She was pissed, he was pissed, they all were. But he wasn't terrified. Quite the different. He found the heroes and their plight to be ultimately fruitless. This was not a battle they could win, yet they continued to try. It would be funny, if it wasn't so annoying. His only issue was the bombs sitting in the base's power room.

"They think they can win..." the doctor said to his ally, "G.U.N., Sonic, and even Eggman. They've all teamed up to defeat us. They _think_ they can win..." he marched off, "They _thought_ wrong..."

He returned to the bases main hub, where the hologram of the planet hovered. He walked up to the command console, pressing his hand upon it in a touch so angry. Tapping a few buttons, he started chuckling, he caused a countdown to replace the hologram. He didn't expect to do this so quickly, but he didn't mind. The sooner the better, after all. But this moment was short-lived.

Finitevus gazed over his shoulder to the chair which sat beside. The ropes which bound his daughter were splayed upon the floor. Raising an eyebrow, he tried to understand why. He contorted his face into anger, a moment later.

"Julie-Su!" he yelled as he gazed to the room around him.

Lien-Da walked up to him with an eye of confusion, before bringing her vision down to the empty chair. Seeing her bonds, sitting upon the floor, caused her to grow angry. She withdrew her whip and immediately prepared herself. Seeing as how no Gizoid was disturbed, nor the machinery within, he figured Julie-Su was still here. Somewhere...

"Deal with her Lien-Da," Finitevus ordered, "And I don't care how! If she ruins anything it'll be-"

"Your head, yeah, yeah," she interrupted with annoyance, "Jeeze, you seriously repeat everything always..."

She began to sway her whip in the air, whilst walking through the main base. She knew Julie-Su was here, she knew it. It was, as if, the two were _connected_.

"Show yourself, girl," Lien-Da commanded, "Now!"

She heard the sound of passing metal. She gazed up, seeing nothing but the lights above. Squinting, she prepared her whip once more. Now she _knew _Julie-Su was still here.

"C'mon, girlie," the dominatrix ordered with a sultry smile, "I know your still here!"

But she didn't know just how close.

Lien-Da suddenly met the steel floor when a body landed upon her. Julie-Su quickly leaped off of Lien-Da's back, landing down on the steel floor with a thud. Out of annoyance, Lien-Da glared up, seeing her half 'sister. Julie looked so angry, but she had every right to be.

"Finally decided to show up, huh?" Lien-Da inquired with a malicious smirk. She then noticed a thin wire waving around Julie-Su's body. It was a whip, much like her own, "Oh, I see," Lien-Da remarked, "Look who's finally decided to have some fun!"

"I'm going to kill you..." Julie stated as she waved her whip in the air, "I hope you've come to terms with that..."

Lien-Da didn't make a reply, she merely licked her lips. Then her whip flew in the sky, and so did Julie's. Neither one knew who struck first, it just sort of, happened. It ended up with Julie on top, however. She held her whip to Lien-Da's neck, in an action quite similar. She watched that dominating echidna smile, however.

Suddenly Julie was in the air, being tossed up by Lien-Da's feet. The magenta echidna landed some feet away, though she did so on her feet. Gazing forward, her eyes fell upon Lien-Da, who quickly returned to her toes as well. That dominatrix licked her lips again, smiling as she eyed her victim standing before her. Julie merely growled, as she struck with her whip. It flew forward, but the dominatrix was able to dodge it with relative ease. She landed on her feet again, being poised to strike back. But to Lien-Da's surprise, Julie-Su had once again disappeared.

"Annoying little runt..." the sadist stated as she straightened up again, "Where'd you run off to now?"

She gazed up to the metallic workings of the higher base, wondering if the magenta echidna existed somewhere within.

"Oh no you don't..." Finitevus voice remarked.

Lien-Da glanced up to the screens placed about in the room. It showed various images all over the base. Most importantly, it showed Sonic Heroes, stalking through the base in search of Tikal. The poor, poor fools.

"They're nearing CH-1. Perfect..."

"What are you going on about over there, Finitevus?" Lien-Da inquired as she looked for her foe.

"Nothing, nothing..." he answered, "Just having a bit of fun, is all."

He pressed a blue button upon his console.

…

"CH-1..." Tails commented in the air.

"What was that, Tails?" Sonic inquired from behind.

The yellow fox gazed up to him, before gazing back to the title of the hall. He pointed at it, bringing everyone else's attention to the title.

"CH-1..." Tails repeated, "When Hope and I first snuck into this base, Julie-Su brought us to CH-32..." he gazed back to the large metal doors, "I'm beginning to think there's something important behind these CH room, but I don't know what..."

"I guess that mean's we're going in then!" Sonic stated with a smirk.

"Are you sure about that big blue?" Rouge asked, "There's probably a good reason why Julie-Su went into one..."

"Which is an ever better reason for us to investigate!" he remarked, "Besides, we still don't know where Tikal is, maybe this hall will help..."

Suddenly Omega marched in, guns at the ready. He didn't care about the conversation, he just cared about destroying. A massive stream of gunfire echoed from his cannon, riddling the door continuously. He was so loud, he woke Hope up. A minute later, the entire door no longer sat on its hinges. It was now a shattered mess, lying in scrap heaps upon the floor.

"Destruction, eminent!" Omega stated.

"Well... there's that..." Rouge answered.

They marched in moments later, while the war zone continued to rage outside. Their group stopped when they stood in the center of the new area. There were pods everywhere, and the room was unusually cold.

"What's in this room?" Sonic asked to no one in particular.

"Clones..." Omega answered, which gained him everyone's attention.

"Quite perceptive of you, Omega..." Finitevus' voice echoed over head.

Everyone gazed to the ceiling, specifically the intercom system above. The room began to flash, as a panel in the center of the room began to open.

"This is Cloning Hall #1. My first, as you can tell," Finitevus continued, "It holds a very important person within..." the panel revealed a pod, which slid up to floor level, "A very important woman who I hold near and dear to my heart..." the pod began to expel steam as it began to open, "I once called her _sister_, after all."

The pod opened, and a woman fell out. Everyone stepped back in confusion, save for Omega. The woman, she struggled to her toes, showing that she was dressed in a full body suit, save for her neck. It had pulsating lines on it, of unknown origins. Upon further inspection, they saw this echidna was a woman. She struggled to her toes whilst grunting at the same time.

She was woman, yes. Older than them by a considerable amount of years. Her hands were free of the full body suit, showing slender hands underneath. Her fur was a light, near _golden_, yellow and her eyes were a shimmering blue. She had the imprint of a jewel on her forehead, which insinuated the power she owned.

"Akna..." Finitevus called, making the woman shoot her head up, "Kill them..."

The woman's eyes glimmered, growing as bright as could be. The air started to intensify within the base, causing various objects around them to break and shatter. At the same time, she began roaring. Her roar pushed back the heroes facing her down.

This wasn't a battle they should have been in. Akna made that known. She caused the jewels which Sonic owned to fly free of him. The green Chaos Emerald, _Shadow's _green Chaos Emerald, escaped his person, despite his attempts to grasp it. Instead, they flowed into Akna's finger tips, causing her to increase her powers tenfold. The base shook everywhere, thanks to the echidna's amazing power. She kept exerting her strength, making all know the power she had.

"I truly did envy my sister," Finitevus stated with a chuckle, "She was always superior to everyone else when it came to Chaos... you have no idea how long it took for me to clone her into this perfected being."

"I don't like where this is going..." Sonic bemoaned.

"Prepare to die! Sonic Heroes!"

Akna attacked.

Her hands pushed forward, destroying the land around her in an invisible blast. It pushed Omega away, which she clearly believed was the most dangerous opponent. The robot slammed against the wall, but it wasn't enough to end him for good. From his arm cannon, he fired a spray of rockets, which rained down upon the land. The room was riddled with explosions, destroying any and all clones Finitevus had within. As if he cared.

Omega was never someone to have his power matched, and this proved that notion to be true. He rocketed from the pit he created in the wall, raining bullets upon the Akna clone with reckless abandonment. She projected a shield around herself, deflecting the blasts as best she could. With each strike, she caused her shield to grow in strength. Soon, it became less of a shield, and more of an attack itself. From her shield, she threw a blast which slammed into Omega's body again. He flew back, only to return a few seconds later.

This Akna clone was above anything he head ever seen. His meters were going off the charts with Chaos Energy, whenever he ran his scanners over her. Could he say it? Perhaps _she_ was _stronger_ than _Enerjak_ himself. Or maybe his scanners were on the fritz. That was believable too; he had taken quite a few blows since this assault began.

The Akna clone was striking at everyone now, while at the same time growling with fervent rage. Amy came behind, hammer at the ready, but she underestimated the yellow echidna. She easily pulled her fist back, slamming it into the pink hedgehog's face. Who was next; Tails? His Magical Arm launched through the area Amy once stood at. Akna stepped to the side, while her hand reached out for it. Gripping the machine, she effortless tore it from its sockets, severing it in half. Her hand reached forth for the wires left behind. Grabbing it, she pulled it sharply, forcing Tails to fly in her direction. His face grew wide, right when he met fist. Who else? Rouge the bat. When that kleptomaniac approached her, Akna felt a surge run through her head. She roared, pushing the bat back. Rouge blocked it however, shielding herself from some of the strike. Unfortunately, when she pulled her limbs back, Akna was there. The echidna roared again, lifted her fist, and brought it down upon the bat's face.

Her combat high was flowing though, she felt stronger now. Who else dared to face Akna's wrath!? That blue hedgehog, he was it. He stood some feet away, gazing down to his allies as they winced in pain. Sonic, he looked powerfu. Would he make for a good opponent? She kept hearing it in the back of her head, over and over again. 'Kill them Akna. Kill them'. That was her brother calling. Didn't she _hate _her brother? Then why was she listening.

Whatever. The blue hedgehog was there; she'd kill time with him. He looked stronger than everyone else anyway.

She suddenly dashed forward, but the blue blur zipped out-of-the-way. Landing safely on the other side of her, he watched as she rushed into the wall. Instead of stopping, she slammed straight through it, entering the realm of darkness on the other end. Sonic rose his fist, readying himself for another attack. Behind him, Rouge, Tails, Amy, and Omega stood. Akna's blue eyes shined through the darkness, before her entire body turned a burning gold. At the same time, her eyes flared red. She was getting stronger.

Chaos Akna.

…

"Those fools do not understand the powers I hold, do they?" Finitevus stated.

The countdown was winding down; the heroes will fail. That is if they survived the Akna clone, which he highly doubted.

"She's gone, Finitevus," Lien-Da stated as she ran to him, "Your daughter is a freaking coward."

"Julie-Su wouldn't run away," Finitevus answered as she neared him, "She's too smart for that. She is my daughter after all," he stretched up, "If she's not here, then that mean she's going to help those fools undermine us..." he squinted, "Find her! And kill her!"

"Whatever," she answered as she swayed her way off, "Though. I have to say... she looks extremely familiar, Finitevus," he glanced at her out the corner of her eye, "She looks like me, _and _she uses a whip like me? Just who was that girl's mother?"

"The answer is closer than you think..." he answered as his vision returned to the countdown, "Now get going!"

Deep down inside, Lien-Da wanted to ask what he meant by his words 'closer than you think'. But, ultimately, she shrugged it off. Putting her expert tracking skills to work, she ran off down the hall.

…

"You are nowhere near as strong as you were the last time, Enerjak..."

His statement caused the gasping god to growl. He glared up with his red eyes toward the Starman. They flew up high, high in the sky, over the land they warred upon. The Starman, with his body covering cloak, hovered near, as his blue eyes peered deeply into the echidna's soul.

The Starman was right. He wasn't as strong as he was four thousand years ago. Why? This body felt so superior to the one he was, so strong. This body was exposed to the powers of Chaos for years upon years. Then why was he so weak? This was not the level of strength he had at that battle in Glyphic Canyon. He was able to stop both the Starman and that demon Black Doom with his powers alone. It wasn't until the Starman used the Chaos Emeralds did he gain the power to win.

Wait. That's it! The Chaos Emeralds! That's why Enerjak was so much stronger the last time! Finitevus chant used the power of the Chaos Emeralds to bring his body into this mortal form. If it weren't for the Emeralds, he would have never gained this power in the first place. He turned his back on those jewels, when they were much stronger than he gave them credit for. It was time to correct his mistake.

"STAAAAAARRRRMAAAAAAANNN!" the echidna god roared.

He suddenly expelled a bright light from his body, blinding everyone in the vicinity. The Starman did not flinch or move, he continued flying in the face of the light. Once the light subsided, he discovered his foe ran on the defensive. Enerjak was no longer before him.

"Fool..." the hedgehog said, "Where have you run off too?"

He focused his energies, combing the land before him for that foe he faced. He didn't find Enerjak, but he did find another important foe. One which burned with the power of a Chaos Emerald. He was shocked by that.

"Akna?" he stated, for he recognized that energy pulse, "No, stop..." he shifted his vision elsewhere, "Where did you go, Enerjak?"

"I'm right here, Starman?"

The hedgehog gazed up, seeing that echidna above him. He held the Master Emerald in his hand, along with an uppity smirk. He increased the hold he had on the Master Emerald, causing him to absorb some of its godly energies. If they could see him, maybe the Starman's eyes were widening.

He didn't say anything, he merely tackled the echidna before him. Unfortunately, once his hands touched the god's shoulders, he felt that godly energy flow from him. He glared up into Enerjak's eyes, watching him flare with power. The echidna god rose his hands, connected them, then slammed them down upon the Starman's helm. The strike was powerful and sent him careening into the earth. The Starman didn't stop, even as he rushed through various shards of metal. Returning to his feet, he stared up to the hole created by his flung body. Enerjak laughed dementedly as he slowly descended upon him.

"I wish I learned of this earlier," the echidna stated, "If I had, this world would have long ago fallen under my control..."

"No. I wouldn't allow that to happen..."

"Is that what you say, Starman?" Enerjak answered.

"Yes..."

He suddenly turned a burning blue, causing the base to shake from his strength alone. Enerjak, feeling so superior, laughed at the sight.

"You still fight..." he stepped forward, "You know, this is how I remember you the best. Burning like a star before me. You killed me like this..." he grew serious, "You. _Killed_. Me. I Don't accept that..."

The two clashed, their hands in a tussle. Enerjak tried to force his strength upon the hedgehog, but it wasn't working. It seemed as if the hedgehog god had risen to a greater level. Being filled with the power of heroism, the Starman pushed the echidna god off of him. Enerjak rose his fist, preparing for battle, and so did the Starman.

"I'm going to kill you now..." the hedgehog stated.

"Go ahead..." Enerjak answered with a grin, "Try..."

…

She kicked the door open, caring not for the noise of it all. She stared left and right, glaring toward the machinery which sat upon the walls. Once again, she cared not; her attentions lay solely on one thing. The magenta echidna stared at the mechanical pod before her. For all intents and purposes, it was a jar. A jar which held the worlds strongest being.

"Imperator..." Julie-Su said as she neared the resting head.

His one true weakness; his origin. If this is destroyed, he is destroyed. At least, that's what everyone believes. She placed her fingers upon the console and immediately began typing. She already knew the codes to open the device; it was simple.

_Akna_. Now that she thought about it, her father really had a sister-complex.

The pod opened up, leaving Dimitri's head open to all. She reached forward to grab the head. A whip wrapped around her hand, forcibly pulling her back.

"Nuh-uh-uh! Girlie!" Lien-Da yelled from behind as she continued to pull back, "Can't let you do that!"

"Dammit! Just how the hell!?" Julie asked as her half-sister pulled her back.

"I'm a great tracker, what can I say?" the dominatrix answered.

She yanked, pulling Julie-Su back into her fist. But the magenta echidna was crafty; she dodged the blow, but just barely. Sliding onto the ground, she eyed Lien-Da who now stood between her and Dimitri's head. Lien-Da continued to smile as she twirled her whip around in a malicious manner. If Julie-Su was expecting to get her hands on that head, things just got ten times worst.

The wall exploded.

Lien-Da and Julie-Su were tossed away, as they now shared the space with two warring gods. The Starman's burning blue aura mixed in with Enerjak's green aura, as their hands shook the very earth. They were trying their hardest to overpower one another, it just wasn't working. Enerjak broke the tussle first, stepping a back a few feet while the Starman did the same.

"Just give up!" he roared, "You can't win!"

"You know I won't give in..." the Starman answered, "So why don't you just deal with it?"

"Good point..." he pulled back his hand as to charge up a ball of burning energy, "So why don't I just cut to the ch-!?"

He locked up. His entire body froze like ice. He couldn't move, at all. His eyes could though. He glared at the Starman, only to look over to his right with his head slowly turning. There she was, Julie-Su. Holding his _head_.

"What's wrong, Imperator?" she asked as she pulled his head from its life support system, "Feeling. Under the weather?"

"Julie-Su!" he stated, "Put. That. Down!"

She tugged, making his energies fall. Dropping to his knees, he found it difficult to continue standing.

"Why did you lie to me!?" she yelled back, "I thought I could trust you, Imperator! You _and _my father lied to me!" she tugged on Dimitri's head again, "I should have known. I should have known that I could trust you either!"

"End it, Julie-Su..." the Starman stated, "Send him to his eternal demise..."

She nodded and now placed both her hands upon his demented head. Increasing her hold on it, she started to pull. Wires began to sever from his head, making Enerjak jolt and shiver with pain. With every wire that was severed, he felt weaker and weaker. But that weakness suddenly vanished.

Julie-Su was no longer holding Dimitri's head. It was still tethered by wires, but it if wasn't placed back within its pod, he would soon die. But why had Julie-Su released him? It wasn't by her own fruition; arms were holding her.

"See, Girlie!?" Lien-Da barked, "You should never turn your back on me!"

Suddenly, the both of them were blown away by a blast. Enerjak growled angrily as he peered upon the two, and more specifically, his head. He wanted to walk for it, but things weren't working. He could barely walk, because his head was loosing oxygen. His head was _dying_.

And there was the Starman. He was walking for the head, slowly. If the Starman took his head, there would be no more Enerjak. He couldn't let that happen.

"NO!" he growled as he lobbed his strongest blast yet.

It knocked the Starman away, throwing him through the wall. But that was all the strength Enerjak had. He toppled over almost immediately, falling hard upon his chest. Glaring forward, he saw his head, hanging out from the pod. If it wasn't connected soon, he'd die a slow, _painful_, death.

"Lien-Da!" he called, "Lien-Da! I'm dying!"

He watched a boot slam near the head. He gazed up, hoping to see that dominatrix. It wasn't her. Julie-Su gazed back down, rage and hatred in her eyes. She reached for Dimitri's head, slowly gripping it by the base. Pulling once again, she started to pry it away; one wire at a time.

And then...

A gunshot.

Julie was on the ground. She landed on her knees, only to fall over again, this time on her face. A pool of blood was oozing from her neck. Enerjak smiled, as Lien-Da walked from behind the magenta echidna. She held a pistol in hand.

"Annoying brat..." she stated.

"Yes!" Enerjak yelled, "YES!"

But something seemed to click in his mind. Something he had never felt before. Sadness? Remorse? No, that's not right, he shouldn't feel these emotions! But they weren't his emotions to feel. They were _Knuckles'_ emotions.

"Julie-Su!" the red echidna yelled as he stretched forward, "Julie-Su!"

Lien-Da began to reconnect Dimitri's head, one wire at a time. But Dimitri was no longer in control. Enerjak stood, as strong and as firm as ever before. But those eyes weren't red. They were purple. He slowly began to approach her, one foot at a time. Lien-Da didn't notice things were out-of-place, until he set his hand upon her shoulder.

She glanced over his shoulder at him. Her eyes widened as she found a visage of pure malice gaze back. Knuckles pulled back and punched her. It was an earth shattering punch, one which triggered an explosion. Lien-Da crashed into a wall, blood flowing from her nose. After regaining her eyesight, she felt air escape her. Gazing forward, she found Knuckles' purple eyes gaze back.

This wasn't the kind of choking she actually enjoyed. This hurt. It hurt _bad_.

"YOU!" Knuckles roared.

His eyes flared a green, and so did his hands. Lien-Da felt an intense burning sensation, travel throughout her body. Was this being before her Enerjak? Or was he the protector of the Master Emerald? Could he have possibly been both? It didn't matter. The green flames swallowed her whole, and exploded upon the wall of the base. Knuckles stepped back; the deed now done. All that remained of Lien-Da, was her ash marks.

He dropped down to Julie-Su immediately after. Gently, he moved her upon her back. Those purple eyes of hers were open, but they weren't seeing anything. Out of fear, the echidna dragged his hand under her neck. When it returned, it was dyed red. She wasn't breathing. Her heart was thumping. She was still warm, but she wouldn't be for long.

There was nothing he could do.

As Knuckles cradled Julie-Su's body, the heavy footsteps of another being echoed. The Starman walked from the hole in the wall he inadvertently created. With that helmet over his face, it was impossible to see what emotions he had brewing within. He gazed down to Knuckles, then to Julie-Su, and finally to Dimitri's removed head. He turned back to the door moments later.

"Judgment passed..." he said.

The Starman left soon after.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Interesting turn this chapter took. I promised at least one death, yet I ended up having three (or two depending on how you look at it). Much fun, right?_

_So yeah, the three people who died were Lien-Da. Well, at least one of her clones. Also, Julie-Su died. She was shot in the back of the neck by Lien-Da. Quite poetic, right? I mean, she killed Sonic the same way earlier, and now she's killed in the same way. It's not really laugh worthy though. And lastly, Dimitri. Yes, he's finally dead, if you can believe that. Seeing Julie-Su die gave Knuckles the energy to kick Dimitri out of his body. Or did it? Maybe the fact that Dimitri's head fell out of socket really gave the echidna some strength. Who knows? Well, me, of course._

_Also, the Maximum Clonage. That was actually a working title for this, before I said no. Anyway, Akna actually has clone, thanks to her insane brother. The Akna clone is, as you can possibly tell, mindless. But, she's a virtual engine of destruction. She only listens to Finitevus, because he made her that way. But its obvious that she has a mind of her own._

_Lastly, Finitevus has a countdown. Wonder what's it too..._

_Anyway, we haven't seen Tikal/Chaos/Tikhaos for a while. That's all going to change in the next chapter._

_Tikhaos Unleashed._

_By the way, Dark Star of Chaos, you're right. That song does match this story._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	26. Tikhaos Unleashed

Tikhaos Unleashed

The chaotic being before them stepped out of the hole she accidentally created. Her eyes were still red, and that golden aura continued to flow from her body. Her haggard face and stoic visage showed nothing but pure malice. How did such a being like her exist? One with such a great, unattainable power? She stood before them, stepping on foot from foot, wobbly about on her muscular legs.

She growled again, which caused the air in the room to stir once again. Raising her foot and slamming it down, she triggered a quake. That quake destroyed any of the remaining pods within the room; she was just that strong. The blue hedgehog who stood directly before her, took a few steps back. He was fearless, yes. He was a hero, yes. He had faced things many could never believe. But this was different. He was no _idiot_. He knew a failing battle when it looked him square in the eyes. And this was failing battle.

It takes a particularly strong foe to make Sonic the hedgehog realize he's outclassed. And unfortunately, that foe stared him square in the eyes. He moved backwards, trying his hardest to come up with some battle strategy. Tails was beside him, so was Amy. Omega, Rouge, and Hope were directly behind as well. They had numbers, but did they have the strength to face this woman? There was only one way to find out.

The blue blur rose his fist. There were already visages of disdain upon his allies' faces. They didn't want him to do this; hell, _he_ didn't want to do this! But someone had to get this job over with, and standing around definitely wasn't doing it. He faced the woman before him. The Akna clone. He didn't know who the original Akna was, but he could tell from her clone, that she was an amazing woman. A powerful one indeed. But she was in her way.

Sonic dashed, his body that blue streak it was known for. One punch, aimed for the face. A valiant effort, but a failed one ultimately. Akna blocked it, his hand landing in her palm. The hedgehog pulled back; it was easy to say he wasn't expecting this. Whatever the case may be, he ate fist, again and again. The last one was strong enough to throw him into the capsules which sat some ways away. He felt his body crashed into hard steel and crumbling glass; it made him groan. But it wasn't enough to defeat him.

Getting to his feet, the green-eyed hero stared long and hard at the Akna clone. The echidna approached him, only to stop and gaze away. Still out numbered by the hedgehog's friends, she was weary to approach him. Sure, she had enough power to wipe them all out with a wave of her finger, but one does not get this strong by making foolish decisions. No, one gets this strong through constant victories, and of course, cunning ruthlessness.

Akna possessed both of these attributes. She would kill them all and _then_ kill the blue hedgehog. Her hands opened, preparing an attack of titanic proportions. She faced the blue hedgehog's allies, an image of destruction on her face. Suddenly, Omega shoved his way through his teammates, while his gun was poised to fire.

A series of bullets flowed from his Gatling gun, raining down upon the echidna warrior. She lifted her arms, projecting a shield of energy which deflected all the strikes. Just like the first time however, she pushed the shield further and further back, destroying much of the land which was around her. She was prepared to destroy the robot; he had already proven to be the most dangerous of this foolish group. With him gone, the rest would fall soon after.

From her shield, she fired. It was a great blast, one with the strength to kill the destructive being. When an explosion was triggered, the bullets stopped. Her shield fell, and she straightened up. Glaring into the destructive fog before her, Akna was prepared to see the fallen bodies of those she callously killed. Instead, she found a pair of purple eyes staring back.

They shimmered through the smog, being adamant against her attack. When the dust and debris settled, there was a red echidna standing before her. One wearing blue and gold armor, which gave him an overpowering disposition. His purple eyes stared hard into her, while his hard demeanor remained unwavering through the wind.

Akna stepped back in confusion, her eyes falling upon this new warrior. He held the Master Emerald in his hands of all things, which confused her greatly. He held it in his arm, hoisting it up with his massive strength alone. Putting the great rock down, he immediately shifted his eyes to the people around him. Amy, Hope, Rouge, Tails, they all gazed to him. They could seemingly sense the difference which sat within his body, though it took Sonic to speak forward.

"Knuckles?" he inquired as he stumbled to his feet.

The red echidna glanced over to him, and then smiled.

"Yo!" he said back.

Suddenly, the Master Emerald guardian spun around, his hand cupping another green blast. He fired it, sending it careening toward the cloned echidna which stood some ways away. Akna was so surprised by the strike, she didn't react in time. Instead she blocked it, which caused her chaotic aura to quake and waver.

"What the!?" Sonic remarked, "Knuckles! How did you do that!?"

"I don't know," he answered as he opened and clenched his fist, "I just woke up and felt... _stronger_..."

He gave a decidedly malicious smirk, before he fired once again toward his foe. It struck the Akna clone once again, but did not have the desired effect of destroying her. Instead, the shimmering echidna growled and began to push through the strikes. She grew closer and closer to Knuckles, before he eventually stopped. The Master Emerald Guardian suddenly dashed forward, his fists ready to strike. He was never the person for this dinky blasts anyway.

Akna, growling with fervent rage, blocked the first punch Knuckles delivered. She countered with one of her own, only to miss. After dodging the strike, the Enerjak empowered Knuckles began to punch back. One fist after another, he delivered toward cloned woman. She would block some, but fail to deflect others. This red echidna was a powerful one indeed, but not an unbeatable one.

Akna gripped one of Knuckles' fists, stopping it. She countered immediately with a punch of her own, only to have that punch be grabbed by him as well. The two were now stuck, but it didn't matter. They tried to over power each other with their bodies alone.

"Knuckles!" Sonic called, though the red echidna shook his head.

"Sonic! You have to stop Finitevus!" he answered as he continued to growl, "I'm not sure what he's planning, but its bad!" he slowly began to overpower the Akna clone, "I don't know what he's planning, but it isn't good!" he gave a sudden roar, which shocked Akna. With that brief moment of confusion, he pulled his fist back and struck her, sending the clone flying into the wall, "Now get going! I'll deal with her!"

Knuckles began marching off for the woman, though Sonic lingered behind. Not wanting to leave his friend behind, he stretched out for her. It took Amy's nudging to finally budge the blue hedgehog. He turned to her, face growing hard, and nodded.

He and the rest of the group ran through the door. They rushed down the steel halls, passing the bodies of G.U.N. Soldiers and Gizoids alike. Such destruction was horrendous. Never had the blue hedgehog and his friends seen such chaos since the Black Arms invasion. This all came to a stop, however, when they noticed an armored being walking in the center of the halls.

Sonic skidded to a halt, stopping himself from crashing into this being. His green eyes fell upon this being, watching as his red cape fluttered through the hall. The blue hedgehog stepped to the side, gazing upon the body of this silver clad warrior. Those blue eyes shined bright.

"Shadow?" he inquired again, gaining the warrior's eyes.

"You continue to call me a moniker I do not possess," the warrior answered as he glared down and over to him, "You mortals are an annoying species..."

The blue hero squinted at the statement. This was the oddest thing he had ever seen before. He knew the Starman was Shadow, Tikal made that known ever since her appearance. She _only_ called him Starman, after all. Then why was he acting like this? Why did he pretend to be a person was not? Unless, in some strange way, this _wasn't_ Shadow. That would explain his suddenly godlike level of strength, and strange speech mannerisms. Honestly, it wasn't something he wanted to think about.

"Okay, Starman," Sonic remarked as his eyes rolled, "Where are you going?"

"Enerjak is dead," the star god answered, "Lien-Da is dead," he faced Sonic, "Julie-Su is dead..." the hedgehog gasped, "There is only one last echidna who must face judgment... Finitevus..."

"And... and what of Tikal?" he asked.

The Starman stopped, causing the blue hedgehog to accidentally run into him. Sonic stepped back, as he gazed upon the star god's backside. The Starman suddenly floated skywards, as flames sprouted from his toes. A second later, he blasted down the halls at amazing speeds, which even pushed the blue blur back a few inches. Sonic reached out for the being, but stole himself from actually doing anything.

"Shadow..." he whispered before dashing forth.

…

He continued sitting on his chair, as he eyed the screen before him. Things had taken a monstrous turn, one he had _not _accounted for. Dimitri was dead. Lien-Da was dead. Julie-Su was dead. Honestly, the one he cared most for was Dimitri. He could clone another Lien-Da, and he could create another Julie. But Dimitri was different. He was one of a kind. A god amongst men. And now he was dead.

No matter. He may not have planned on that happening, but that's not to say he didn't _prepare_. One does not hold the same genius as he does, without pre-planning. Dimitri was dead, but not Akna. The Akna clone held as much power, maybe _more_ power, than the Imperator. And though she was woefully _incomplete_, she would make a perfect enforcer in the new world.

The New World. The Echidna World. Finitevus' World. It was coming soon. How soon? As soon as this countdown was over. Once it hit zero, the new world would appear. His new world.

Tick-tick-tickety.

The door opened.

"Finitevus!"

The hedgehog slowly turned around, his eyes running along a blue hedgehog behind him. He was followed by a pink hedgehog, a yellow fox, a great robot, and a blond girl. They all eyed the doctor, authority and power within their aura. They wanted him _dead_, and for good reason.

"Sonic, Amy, Tails, Omega, Rouge, Hope" Finitevus answered, "Nice to see you all again..." he squinted his optics, "Please tell me what business you have for being here."

"As if you should ask," the hedgehog answered, "Where's Tikal!"

"You heroes have such a one-track mind," the doctor remarked with a snarl, "It's always the same with you all, doing the same thing, but never acting before it's too late! Had you prepared for such an action, maybe Tikal would never have been kidnapped, maybe I wouldn't even be here! You heroes only want to act, and make things go back to normal, you have no work ethics! But me, ME! I plan on changing _everything!_" his hand began to charge up a yellow energy, "Starting with you all. A word free of you annoying little brats!"

When he fired, Sonic, Tails, and Amy leaped clean out-of-the-way. Omega took the brunt of the blast, shielding his allies Rouge and Hope from pain. The doctor stepped back, while a certain blue blur streaked into his face. Just like their battle on the road so long ago, Finitevus worked his super-powered mind. He created a thousand outcomes, ultimately narrowing them down to three. Just as expected, the blue blur played into his tactics.

A punch, one Finitevus dodged with ease. He gripped the blue hedgehog's arm, clenching tightly. Sonic's eyes grew wide, as he was picked up with great ease. He noticed another attacker, Amy in fact, launching herself at him with her hammer ready. She met blue, for the doctor threw Sonic into her. The two crashed onto the metal floor, while Finitevus stepped back.

A rocket flew toward him, but he already saw it coming. Using his chaotic abilities, he stopped the rocket in midair. Shifting his attentions back, he glared down upon Omega. The E-123 robot stepped back, as he fired yet another rocket. Just as the last, Finitevus stopped the rocket. One after another, Omega fired missiles toward the albino echidna. But each rocket was stopped dead in its tracks by Finitevus' ingenious mind.

He was no idiot. This was merely a ruse. Somewhere in this base, Rouge was preparing to strike. That would ruin his concentration, causing the rockets to rain upon him in a hell storm. He learned to never turn his back on that bat and her allies; they had too many attack combinations. They were too well-trained.

There she was! Sliding under the rockets quickly! He leaped up, surprising her. She _thought_ she had the upper hand. She thought wrong. Finitevus aimed the rockets down and swiped his hands through the air. This caused the rockets he stopped to aim down toward her. Rouge may have been fast, but not faster than falling missiles. She grew wide-eyed, whilst bracing for the oncoming destruction. Fortunately for her, a blue blur dashed back. Sonic scooped the bat in his hands; dashing off right when the rockets fell. The explosions echoed behind him, destroying the land they once stood upon.

Sonic skidded to a halt, stopping right as he and Rouge met a wall. He placed her down slowly, before preparing his signature spin dash technique. After a few seconds of intense charging, the blue blur propelled himself forth. He flew forward, rushing toward Finitevus with all his might. The flying echidna turned around and met him. He watched Sonic spin and spin, his hands reached out to meet him. Then he gripped that blue hedgehog's arms, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Sonic grew wide-eyed as he found his arms were in Finitevus' hands.

"Annoying little curd..." the echidna whispered before he released one of Sonic's limbs.

His free hand charged up a yellow blast, which he placed firmly in Sonic's chest. The explosion which echoed threw the being into the ceiling, where he bounced off to crash into the floor. As Sonic was tended to by his friends, Finitevus descent upon them. Those golden optics of his flickered and shined briefly, before returning to its silent nature.

"You. Little. Annoyances..." he stated, "You continue to fight, even though you know you can't win. And you _know_ you can't win!" he shook his head, "It doesn't matter anymore..." his hand began to charge an energy again, "Say good- WHAT!?"

The ceiling exploded, right when he finished his words. He watched heavy, metallic, blue body, fall upon him. Finitevus met his own steel floors, as certain blue demon stood upon him. Metal Sonic gazed down, while his hand grew poised to strike his foe. But he turned around instead, gazing down upon his _lonesome copy_. He wanted so desperately to strike Sonic down. He wanted to feel the blue hedgehog topple over in pain. But Eggman said not too.

Damn you Eggman.

Metal Sonic gazed back down to Fintievus, who was struggling in vain to remove the faux hedgehog which stood upon him.

"Get... off!" Finitevus roared, while Metal Sonic applied even more pressure.

Sonic slowly etched his way over to Finitevus, whilst still being weary of both his robotic cloned, and the overzealous doctor. He wondered if this was truly enough to stop Finitevus, but soon something else caught his mind.

"You guys, you might want to come over here!" Hope cried.

He looked up, before dashing over in a blue blur. The screen was showing a countdown, which was in the double digits. Not knowing what the countdown was, they all just stared. They knew it wasn't a self destruct code, if it were, Finitevus wouldn't have minded it when they planted bombs in the base's core. So what was this for?

10...

9...

8...

7...

6...

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

The entire base shook.

"HAH! HAH! HA!" Finitevus chortled, despite the robot above him, "You've failed, Sonic Heroes! You've all failed!"

Sonic look down to Finitevus as the base continued to shake. Face growing hard with rage, the blue hero rose his hands and slammed them down upon the main command console. He wanted to strike Finitevus down himself, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

Turning around, he dashed out through the door. Tails followed suit next, with Amy behind. Rouge, Omega and Hope lingered behind, before they two ran off. All that was left, was Metal Sonic. He glared down upon Finitevus, ready to kill the demented echidna. But he didn't. He too dashed off in chase, leaving Finitevus to his own devices.

…

Akna and Knuckles crashed through the walls. Their combined inertia created an explosion, which sent rumbles through the land. Knuckles landed first, falling upon his back in a massive crash. Because of this, Akna fell upon him in a monstrous step. Over and over again, she leaped up and down on the red echidna's body, driving him further and further of the steel below.

Wait. Steel? That wasn't right. They fell through a hole in the wall to the outside, they should have landed upon grass. Akna gazed skyward. Yes, it was the morning sky. The morning sky, huh? Just how long have they been battling. Whatever. She gazed down to Knuckles.

They were on a runway which stretched from the base. But what business did this run way have here? There were large steel doors at the opposite end of the runway, they too were mysterious. Through the air, alarms blared. Akna and Knuckles gazed around as they tried to understand why. But the doors suddenly opened, they showed nothing but darkness on the other end, however. At the same time, even louder metallic doors opened. But this time, they knew not where the sound came from.

That was, until a rocket stretched out from within the base. It was a large rocket, and it made Knuckles wonder how such a seemingly small base held such a large weapon. The rocket moved higher and higher, showing just how great in size it was. The rocket was ignited, for the loud hum roared over all. Knuckles slipped his way from Akna, who was too mesmerized by the sight of the raising rocket to move. He flew up, while his eyes also laid upon the missile.

But from the doors at the end of the runway, flames spread out. Knuckles dashed skyward in an attempt to dodge the flames, while the Akna clone continued to stare into the flames. They grew closer and closer, yet she never moved. Even when the flames engulfed her, she just continued to stare. Even as the flames pushed her away, she _still_ continued to stare.

There was something in there. Something she felt connected to her. The Akna clone wasn't given the ability to speak, though she did say one word.

"Tikal...?"

Then the flames grew to strong to bare. They pushed Akna away, launching the echidna far off into the distance. Where she went, and where she ended up, would be anyone's guess.

Knuckles dodged the flames by returning into the base. Finitevus' entire interior rumbled thanks to the rocket. But what was up with the rocket? Was it a doomsday device which was aimed somewhere? Possibly, but what was the place?

Wait, what was he thinking? A rocket was being fired by an insane echidna! It didn't matter what place was the target! He needed to stop that thing!

Knuckles tore a hole through the wall. The rocket was now in the air, flying high into the sky. Just like its launch, it roared into the heavens quickly, now heading off for an unknown direction. Growling, Knuckles charged off in chase.

He flew as high and as fast as he could, plowing through clouds and the exhaust fumes of the missile. Taking a few glances down, the red echidna noticed just how far up he had become. He could see Sonic standing outside the base on the island; the hedgehog appeared be nothing more than a spec.

"KNUCKLES!" the hedgehog roared.

He shifted his vision skyward again, trying to reach the rocket as quickly as he could. Opening his palm, he caused a lightning bolt to struck his palm. Cocking back his hand, he tossed the thunderbolt toward the rushing missile. His attack landed, but didn't cause as much destruction as he hoped for. The missile was still flying, and it was still outrunning him.

"Come on!" Knuckles yelled, "Do something you stupid powers!"

He suddenly stopped. No, not because he wanted too, but because he ran into someone. Thanks to the smoke trail following the rocket, Knuckles was briefly blinded. But now that he could see, he stared not to the retreating missile, but to the being who hovered before him.

He stared to the red cape and silver armor. When the hedgehog turned around with his burning blue eyes, Knuckles felt his heart drop.

"S-S-Starman!" he said out of respect, "What are you doing here?"

"Knuckles..." the Starman answered, "I shall deal with the rocket... return to the island..."

Despite the echidna being a relatively rash being, he knew when he should listen. So when an ancient echidna god tells you to return to the island, he knew this was the prime time to listen. As he turned around, so did the Starman. The warrior of the stars stared at the rocket, before vanishing in a blue light. He reappeared on the top of the rocket, his hands prying into its well made steel. Raising his finger tips, the Starman caused his hand to erupt into a golden aura. Bringing the aura into the steel, he slowly began to sever metal from metal. When wires came out, his hand turned red with power. A mighty punch inside was all he needed to further open the hole.

"Chaos..." the Starman said lowly, "BLAST!"

…

They all stared upon the rocket together. There were silent rumbles of the morning Angel Island winds, gliding through everyone's fur and hair. The trees rustled and bended with the wind, so did the metallic husks of Gizoid bodies. The missile was far off, clearing the horizon.

But upon the rocket, a red gleam shimmered. It shined brighter and brighter, becoming blinding as it did so. The glimmer suddenly retreated into the rocket, and once it did, it exploded. The explosion was great, sending rays of destruction out in every direction. The explosion was loud, and just as blinding as the red gleam. Everyone covered their eyes to avoid pain.

The sound of the detonation, roaring against the wind, sounded off for minutes. When it subsided, so did the shine of the explosion. They all stared off into the distance, gazing at the horizon together. The missile was gone, and now falling to pieces over the ocean.

"What? It's over?" Sonic inquired, "YES!"

It didn't take long for everyone to celebrate. The mission may have not been over yet, that rocket was. Millions of people were possibly spared their lives, as the rocket now fell to oceans below. And all they had to thank for this, was the Starman. Now all that was left, was to kick the ass of a certain cybernetic echidna.

The Starman suddenly appeared in their midst, completely absolved of any markings the explosion caused. Maybe he was a god. Sonic was, slowly but surely, beginning to believe this.

"Tell me," he asked of the heavenly being, "Are you. Are are you not, Shadow?"

He would never get the answer. Someone's radio buzzed behind them, causing everyone to turn around. It was Hope, who was fiddling with the device to pry it from her belt. When she finally got it in hand, brought the device to her ear.

"Hello, Hope here... uh-huh... w... what?" her face grew unusually distraught, "What do you mean? Slow down! I can't hear you too well, you're talking to fast!"

"Hope..." Tails pressed, "What's going on?"

She looked to them all.

"Our top scientist have found something... off..." she shook her head, "The planet's water level is _rising_..."

…

She sat down, eying the man sitting before them. The brunette couldn't believe the luck she had today. He was here, standing before her, the man of her dreams. He ordered the coffee, like he always did. It was the middle of the day, yet that's what he wanted. That was just his personality. She ordered some soda, as per usual as well. The day was just so perfect. She was here, with him. The sun was overhead, and everything just felt so normal. The streets besides were devoid of loud obnoxious cars, just people walking.

They ate in silence for a while, neither saying anything. That was, until, his hand moved over and touched her.

"Alison..." he whispered.

"Yes?" she asked, her heart literally beating to her chest.

"I just really wanted to say I love and cherish you, and..." his hand reached to his pocket, to pull out a small case, "That's why I brought you here..."

"Greg..." she whispered as her voice grew misty.

"I just..."

The manhole on the road near them suddenly began to rumble. Greg and Alison gazed to it together, trying to understand what was happening. A quake, or were people working beneath. Whatever the case may be, it sure did mess with the moment. It didn't ruin it, however. No, what ruined the moment, was what happened next.

The manhole exploded. Water rushed through the hole in the ground, while cracks spread from it. From these cracks, even more water rushed through. And no, this was not normal water, this water was green. The water continued to spread, while even more manholes exploded, expelling even more water from the openings. Seemingly all around the city, these manholes exploded, expelling a green liquid which stretched higher and higher.

This was only the beginning. The city streets were rushed down by powerful waves which can only be described as tsunamis in level. Cars, people, _buildings_, were tossed like rocks by the powerful green motions. There was no stopping it, there was no _enduring _it, there was literally nothing anyone could do.

The greatest building in the city suddenly erupted with water. Glass and steel fell upon the remaining individuals of the city, who were _unlucky_ enough to be still alive. From the building, the water began to rise higher and higher. It didn't stop until a serpentine-like head formed.

It was a dragon. Or, it looked like a dragon. Yeah, it was a dragon. A dragon compromised of complete, green, water. But that wasn't all. Despite its lizard like head, appendages which resembled dreads hung from its head. The aquatic dragon opened its mouth, and roared. This roar split the ears of anyone listening, and destroyed the buildings which sat around. When the monster finished its crazy call, its eyes opened. They were as yellow as could be.

The overpowered spirit bound to a god.

Perfect Tikhaos.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Hm. Not really. There's nothing I can really say. No exposition about the situation, no hidden trivia, not much actually. Really, I don't. I'm just going to sit back and think. Oh wait, wasn't there something I wanted to say? No? Oh well, guess I can't remember._

_So, yeah. I was wondering what I should write next. I've been thinking about another Pokemon fic, but I also want to right a Shadouge fic. I don't know. Maybe I'm thinking too hard. We'll see later, huh?_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	27. Braving the Storm

Braving the Storm

He stared over the edge of the island; the blue waters below were shifting. It was extremely violent, making the world below him quake. His fingers opened and closed, his blue eyes illuminated like lights. Shaking his head, he couldn't help but to feel as if this was his fault. The world was perfectly fine until he decided to muck things up. And though many would disagree, he knew it to be true. They all knew it to be true. Even if they didn't want to believe it.

He started off for the edge of the island, prepared to make right what he once did wrong. The skies were already becoming turbulent, even though they were miles away from the epicenter. Yes, he knew where she was at. He could feel her, raising hell upon the lands below. He wanted to stop. He wanted to go back, and pretend this all never happened. But he didn't pretend. Pretending is for children.

"Shadow..." the blue blur's voice called from behind.

He stopped on the beaches edge, turning around to face the hero. The winds were picking up now, causing the blue blur's quills to rustle through the wind. The clouds had become a horrific black and grey; hurricane weather. And yet, the blue hedgehog stood against it all, much like he did.

"How many times must I say this, Sonic?" the armored warrior stated, "I am not Shadow. I am the Starman..."

"Fine then, Starman," he stated as he zipped closer, "Where are you going?"s

"I caused this," the judgmental god answered, "So I must go and solve this..."

"Not alone," the hedgehog answered "Listen Starman, we can do this together..."

"No..." the god answered, "We can't..." he suddenly grabbed the blue blur by the shoulders, holding him place, "Listen Sonic, you can't go down to the earth. Stay here, on Angel Island. You and the rest will be safe here..." he finally released the blue hero, only to turn around again, "You will know when things are safe..."

"But... Shadow..." he gained a face of concern, "Why do you keep doing this? Why do you have to go and sacrifice yourself? We can do this together, you know. We can at least try..."

"I said it before, Sonic, I am not Shadow," he turned and glared at the blue hedgehog over the shoulder, "And we can't do this together! If I die... then you're the last hope for humanity..." he turned back around, "If I _die_..." he suddenly gazed up, causing Sonic to do the same, "If I can't stop it... use the Eclipse Cannon. It's the only way..."

His entire body transformed into a glowing blue light. Sonic stepped for it, but stepped back a few moments later. The Starman's flashing body suddenly dashed into the sky, becoming like a star. Then he vanished against the storming wind. Sonic continued staring skyward, wondering if the Starman's words were correct. Footsteps shuffled behind him soon after, prompting the hedgehog to turn around. His friends and the Chaotix, they were all mesmerized by the sudden stormy turn the skies took.

"Yo man," Mighty murmured, "What happened here? It was all cool before and now this..." he glanced over to Sonic, "And then that Starman dude..."

But Sonic shook his head as he gripped Tails by the shoulder.

"C'mon you guys, we've gotta batten down the forges..."

…

Its aquatic tendrils struck at everything around it. Buildings fell, roads were torn, destruction was widespread and manic. The water in the area rose higher and higher, as the water god grew angrier and angrier. It glared over the horizon with its yellow eyes, seeing an armada of hovering ships near her. The G.U.N. Air Fleet had mobilized quickly. How they were able to leave the battle on Angel Island, and reform here, near this random city, would forever be a mystery.

As if Tikhaos cared. The duo god roared out against the oncoming steel behemoths, letting its rage be known by all. It watched as the metallic sides of the flying ships opened up, revealing cannons and weapons of all calibers. The maelstrom brewing within their weapons was enough to level any city, no matter its size. But they weren't keen on destroying the city; their could still be innocents alive, no matter how low that chance may be. No, they had eyes on one.

Explosive rounds ripped through the air, all of them aiming for Tikhaos herself. The water god's body was pelted over and over again, causing her to exploded. Water was tossed in every which direction, giving a false sense of security. But the aquatic god returned soon, reforming that dragon like form. Another roar, but this time, the mouth spewed out a vibrant colored beam as well. The beam sliced through the ship at the forefront of the Air Fleet, causing it to explode as it descended toward the earth.

Such destructive power, it was terrifying. That attack single-handedly showed the destructive capabilities of this being, as if that wasn't already known. Tikhaos roared once more, shattering the land around it by its sonic scream. The other ships of the Air Fleet began to turn away, surely to retreat. The men and women on those ships did not expect such a destructive fury to befall them.

So who would face this being? Surely, it needed to be dealt with. If none were to come soon, the water god would have its way with the world. It would kill _everyone_.

That's when he appeared. The blue shine vanished from his frame, dropping him to the ground. He landed on the rooftop of a building, standing poise with his arms crossed. Those shining blue eyes aimed down upon the torrential god, which whipped it tendrils amongst the land. When it roared against the land, it allowed all to know the amazing might it owned.

"CHAOS!" the hedgehog's voice roared.

The water god stopped; its mouth silent. It turned around to the building he stood on, those yellow eyes burning holes into his chest. Transforming into water, it quickly cleared the distance between itself, and the being who had the audacity to yell at it. The Starman did not fold; he continued to stand as righteously as he could.

"Chaos, what are you doing?" he asked, "What has Finitevus done to you and... why are you green?"

The water god snarled, causing the storm over head to grow even stronger. The Starman didn't budge however. He continued to stand with those arms crossed over one another. Tikhaos opened its mouth, roaring into the hedgehog's face as loud as it could. The Starman merely shook his head as he stomped closer.

"CHAOS! Stop this foolishness!" he yelled, "Whatever Finitevus has done to you, it can be stopped! Just listen to me!"

"Why should I listen to you? You are a liar..."

The Starman was caught of guard by the statement, gasping when he heard it. The voice, it was _her_ voice. _Tikal's_ voice. But where did it come from? It was so low when he first heard it, rumbling through him like a mystical force. He didn't know what to do, other than stare.

"Tikal?" he asked through the wind.

"Why did you lie, Starman?" she asked back, "Why didn't you tell me who you _really_ were?"

"Tikal..."

"The Starman is Shadow... I knew that... what I didn't know was what you were like before you came to the past..." her voice was so low, so devoid of emotions, it was terrifying, "The son of a demon. Black Doom is your father, Starman. I knew you looked like a demon, but I didn't know you _were_ a demon."

"I'm not!" he yelled back, "Tikal! Where are you!"

"YOU LIED AGAIN!"

Her bark caused Tikhaos to rip into a fervent rage. The creature struck at the hedgehog, causing him to leap up high and away. Its tendril easily tore through the building, sending rocks and debris flying everywhere. The Starman hovered in the air as he gazed down upon the horrific nature of the city Tikhaos resided in. Such destruction. Why?

"Why do you continue to lie, Starman?" Tikal asked, her voice now extremely spiteful, "Admit it! You lied to me! YOU LIED! ADMIT IT! I want to hear you admit it..."

The Starman grew extremely silent, his blue eyes staring upon her. Slowly, he gripped his helmet. Placing his fingers no the sides, he pressed an almost invisible button. With a click, he caused the seal-like helm to release its hold on his head. The helmet moved up and over, revealing a demon beneath. His jet black fur made him nearly invisible against the night sky, while his ruby eyes burned like the Devil.

"I lied..." he whispered.

Tikal started to chuckle, while Tikhaos moved over and away. Shadow didn't like how she sounded, so he instinctively placed the helmet back on his head. With a click it fastened back on; its eyes gleaming blue once again.

"Yes... you did lie..." she remarked, "I loved you, yet to neglected to tell the truth. I guess I should have seen this coming. _Demons_ can't love, they only deceive..." her laughing stop, "Yet I can't help myself. I still love you. Or maybe not me... the _original_ Tikal still loves you..."

"The original Tikal?" Shadow repeated, "Tikal, what are you talking about."

"I'm not her, Starman. I'm not the Tikal you loved from thousands of years ago. I'm just an Emerald, who merely _thinks_ she's Tikal..."

"No! Tikal! That's not true!" the hedgehog yelled.

"You may have a silver-tongue, Starman, but you can't convince me otherwise..." Tikhaos rosed up high, "I am a Chaos Emerald, and as such, I must rain Chaos amongst the land. This world is evil, Starman, and it must be cleansed of this vile."

"No! Tikal! Stop this!"

Tikhaos became one singular stream of water, rushing for the Starman at amazing speeds. He rose his arms to block the struck, right when water rushed all around his body. It was too powerful to fight through, but it suddenly stopped. Lowering his hands, he felt a whip of water strike his backside. He went flying toward the ground, and though he met a road, his body merely tore through it. He resided under water for a few seconds, only to dash back into the skies with his burning feet. Tikhaos was some miles away, waiting for him to attack once more. He was happy to oblige.

His hand started to charge up a red sphere of burning power. Aiming it toward Tikhaos, he prepared to fire. But he couldn't. He scanned Tikhaos, now understanding the differences within the creature. Chaos was a blue water dragon, but this water dragon was green. The kicker? It had _dreads_ falling from its head. Tikal and Chaos were one and the same.

"Tikal?" he mumbled, "Are you. And Chaos?"

"Yes, Starman..." her voice answered, "Yes..."

Tikhaos opened its mouth and fired. The beam flew toward the Starman, causing him to project a shield over his body. It was a valiant effort, but it wasn't working. Tikhaos' power was backed by the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds. The shield started to crack and break, much like glass. The Starman's eyes widened, right when his shield shattered. The beam slammed into his body, throwing him through many buildings. He fell into the water again, but this time remained under for an extended period of time.

Shadow was almost too dazed to return to he surface. He couldn't believe the situation he was placed in. Tikal and Chaos were one and the same. No, no, this had to be a ruse. This had to be some trick of Finitevus'. He dashed out of the water, landing on a highway which sat in the waves of the city. Tikhaos was slowly moving forward, destroying buildings all around her. It gazed down upon the hedgehog with its burning yellow eyes, roaring out once more to the wind. A crack of thunder occurred, and the Starman fired.

His Chaos Spear struck through the sky, slamming into Tikhaos' head. The god was pushed back by the strike, but not far enough. A valiant attempt, but an ultimately fruitless one. Tikhaos slammed down upon his body with a tentacle, pushing him further into the city waters. Instead of flying out, the judgment god merely teleported into the air. He was breathing hard now, for dents sat around random places of his armor. She/he/it, really wanted him dead.

"I must commend your bravery, Starman," Tikal's voice echoed, "Just like at Glyphic Canyon, you sacrifice yourself for thousands..."

"Tikal, please stop this," he begged, "Things don't have to be this way!"

"They don't, but they will..." Tikhaos continued to move forth, "This is not a world I wish to live in, Starman. It's filled with evil and vile individuals. I saw it all, so much destruction over the years. I thought my father was a violent man. But compared to the warlords of this day, he's a saint. I thought the destruction caused by Chaos was a one time deal, but you modern individuals have crafted tools of such greater caliber. Chaos is one being, but atomic bombs are plentiful... This is _not_ a world that should exist... I see it now... Finitevus was _right_. We should cleanse the land of them all, and build a new world..."

"No, no, no..." Shadow murmured under his breath, "That's not what Tikal would say!"

"HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU!?" the Emerald roared, "I AM NOT TIKAL!"

Tikhaos roared once more, blowing away the Starman and the buildings around it. The land started to quake and quiver, thanks to the water god's destructive nature. It moved forward, pushing the remaining remnants of buildings away. The Starman could only stare in horror, as the water god came near. Tikhaos tendrils suddenly gripped him, holding him hard in place. The god could have crushed him, but it neglected to do so. Instead, the chest of the being began to bubble. The Starman stared upon the chest as the frame of a certain echidna came to being. It was Tikal, though she looked so aquatic. It was horrible to look at.

"I'm _not_ Tikal..." she stated, making him know it, "The real Tikal, the one you_ love_, is no longer on this world..." she was slowly dragged back into Tikhaos body, "I'm sorry, Starman..."

Tikhaos roared. Then it suddenly dove down onto Shadow with its entire body. He was dragged underwater, where the switching waves became to powerful to fight. Tikhaos kept him submerged, increasing the pressure and the weight atop him. The Starman felt his body lock up in pain; it was like a hundred thousand pounds were pushing upon him, and was only increasing.

The hedgehog suddenly turned red. Gazing up, he barked out through the waves.

"CHAOS BLAST!"

After his roar, an explosion occurred. Water was thrown violently away from him, allowing him to escape. He zipped up into the air, while gasps for breath escaped him. As expected, his attack had little effect on Tikhaos' person. She reformed a mile away, ready to continue this never-ending bout.

How did things end up this way? All he wanted to do was have Tikal again. He wanted to make right on his promise to her. He didn't know this would cause nothing but pain. He didn't know it would destroy the world.

No! It will _not _destroy the world! He would make sure of it. The kiddy gloves were off, there was no more talking. If she wanted a fight, he would give her a fight.

"CHAOS SPEAR!" he roared, anger blatant in his voice.

He fired a series of blasts toward his foe. They all slammed into Tikhaos' body, sinking in one after another. Within its body, Tikhaos pointed the chaos born attacks back at the Starman. Before Shadow knew it, his own Chaos Spears were flying back at him. He struck some and deflected others, but was on the run for most of the fight. This was going to be difficult, he knew that now.

…

They sat huddled inside the halls of echidna ruins. They were all silent for the most part. Deep down inside, none wanted to be here. They wanted to be one the planet itself, fighting whatever plagued the earth they so loved. But they couldn't. The sound of the storms outside howled through the land. The winds were to strong to even _walk _through; the ran to powerful to stand against. It was as if the skies were spitting rocks upon anyone foolish enough to leave. That's why they were inside.

Sonic kept his eyes closed. He didn't want to be here anymore than anyone else. He wanted so desperately to leave for the world. Sitting still and waiting for things to happen was something Sonic does not do. He opened his emerald eyes, staring over to Tails. His little brother was fiddling with a device which had been destroyed in the fights. He looked over to Amy next. She was praying of all things for Vanilla and Cream's safety. To the hedgehog's right, Vector was arguing with Charmy over something stupid, while Espio meditated, and Mighty slept.

The door suddenly opened. Everyone paid attention to the door in order to learn of the situation they were placed in. It was Omega, who held his arms around Rouge and Hope. They were all drenched, possibly because of the storm they had to brave to get here.

"What's the news?" Sonic asked first, almost too eagerly.

"It's... not good..." Hope answered as she pulled a certain device from her clothing, "The... world isn't looking to good..." this device projected a hologram of the planet, "You see, coastal cities all around the world are slowly being over run by water..." the ocean levels of the world began to rise slowly, "If this keeps going, the water will rise to inner lands throughout the world. In a week... well..." her face grew as pale as a ghost, "In a week, they'll be nothing left for us to go down to... It'll all be water..."

Sonic opened his mouth to speak, but Tails beat him to the punch.

"Do we know what's causing this?"

Hope nodded, though weakly.

"Right here," she said as she tapped on a certain coastal city on the globe, "Our scanners have picked up a high level of Chaos resonating right here, the levels of Chaos that only the seven Chaos Emeralds can bring. We believe that's what's causing it..." her shoulders slumped down, "We moved in to investigate, but was challenged by Perfect Chaos of all beings. He was too strong and he destroyed the fleet we sent after him..."

"So this was a ruse, huh?" Sonic stated, his anger blatant, "Finitevus put his base on Angel Island, just so we wouldn't notice him sneak a certain destructive god to the world," he growled as he closed his eyes, "I can't believe I was stupid enough to fall for this!" his eyes opened in a sharpened glare, "You know what? I'm not standing here anymore," he started marching through, "I'm heading down there!"

"Sonic no!" Amy pleaded.

"The girl's right, Sonic," Rouge stated, "There's no way you could head down there and not be destroyed by either this storm, or that god."

"I've beaten Chaos before, I can do it again."

"The last time you were Super Sonic," Tails remarked, "Sonic, we should just... wait. We'll come up with a plan instead of acting rash."

"You can wait," he answered, "But not me... I'm outta here!"

Before anyone could do anything, he vanished in a blue blur. They all stared to the exit together, wondering if the blue hedgehog's actions were right or not. If he ended up dead, could any of them forgive themselves. Well, yeah. Rouge and Omega could, if anything.

Another being came to the door shortly after, nudging Omega out-of-the-way. Still garbed in blue and gold clothing, the echidna stared up to everyone within.

"Knuckles your back!" Amy chirped happily.

"And look what I found," he answered as he pulled up a certain rock, "A _Chaos_ _Emerald._"

…

He dodged the aquatic limbs with constantly struck at him. Zipping up and down, left and right, he dodged as best as he could. Her attacks were getting closer and closer however, as was the creature behind him. It was hot on his heels, plowing through buildings and roadways like they were nothing. Coming to a sudden dead-end in the road, the Starman dashed up and over the construct. It was nothing to Tikhaos however, for the god merely slapped the building away.

Another roar, this time to fire out a beam. This strike dashed against the Starman's back, causing him to fall to the earth. He bounced and rolled on the highways, stopping when his body ran into a car. Tikhaos was above him, glaring down with burning yellow eyes. Raising a tentacle, it struck down with enough force to crush a mountain. The Starman projected a shield over his body however, blocking the strike with his own powers.

But it wasn't enough. Tikhaos continued to strike down upon him, over and over again. His shield was shattering with each strike, and would soon give way. He began thinking up a counter attack in order to stave off death. Yeah, that's what he was doing. He wasn't fighting, he was just avoiding death as long as he could. It wasn't really working, however.

Suddenly, Tikhaos exploded. The Starman gazed up to see watch the water god reform some miles away. When staring away, he saw an armada of G.U.N. ships drift close. They were firing upon Tikhaos with all their might, but it wasn't working. They may have caught it off guard before, but now it knew they were there.

The creature rose its tendrils and began to roar against the air. The storm overhead grew stronger and stronger. The winds dropped, covering the city Tikhaos resided in, inside a bio-dome of F5 winds. The G.U.N. Air Fleet was taken for a spin. Literally. They were twirled around and thrown every where by the powerful winds. Tikhaos roared at her flailing victims, before staring back down to the Starman.

Her face met a red explosion. She once again exploded into water, while the Starman hovered above. He watched as Tikhaos reformed, only to be blasted back down again. Every time she attempted to reform her body, the Starman was there with a Chaos Blast launching. He wouldn't allow the monster to reform until it was dead.

It wasn't working. Tikhaos suddenly began to form in three areas at once, confusing the Starman easily. In the end, she turned out to form _none _of them. Instead, she formed right behind the godly hedgehog. He spun around, only to meet an aquatic tendril. It slammed him into the ground. When he tried to get back up, it slammed him again. Once more, he tried to stand, only to met the heaviest aquatic limb in the world. Over and over again, his body met the tentacle of a crazed, frenzied, god.

It suddenly stopped for seemingly no reason. The Starman struggled to his, his vision unwavering. One of the lights of his helmet was busted, flickering on and off. His cape was tattered and ruined, with holes peering through it. He should have just taken off the armor, it may have been better for him. But he didn't. He retained the armor on his body; it felt right on him.

His eyes drifted toward Tikhaos slowly. She continued peering back down. Her mouth opened and yet another roar echoed out.

"Tikal..." Shadow said, "Please. I'm begging you here, end this..." he moved down, "I... I don't want to _destroy_ you..."

"I know you, Starman..." her voice whispered lovingly into his ear, "I know you..." he felt stronger, "I love you, you know that, right?" he gazed back up, "It may hurt... but you'll do the right thing... you'll do the right thing..."

His hand opened up, charging up another yellow spear. She was right; he had to do the right thing. No matter how hard it was.

…

He rushed through the doors with all his might. Skidding to a halt, he tried to regain traction on his slippery feet. It wasn't working, because his face immediately met stone wall. Pulling back, he shook his head in an attempt to defuse the pain. It helped, for the most part.

"Ouch..." he commented as he gazed up, "That hurt..."

His green eyes ran across a mural. It was of a man, cloaked in armor, with a star behind him. He sat on a high chair, presiding over the souls of thousands. He looked like a judge, the man with the star did. And there was a priestess at his side. The blue hedgehog cocked his head. She looked, suspiciously, like Tikal.

A gleam appeared in his eyes. He stared down the halls of the ruins, where he saw a pit like room. The blue blur walked down it slowly, stopping when he was in the center of the mighty ruins. There was a helmet in the center of this area, along with a purple cloak, and a single golden ring. They were placed on a pedestal which gave it a mighty aura. The hedgehog reached forward to grab the helmet, but he stole himself from doing so. Instead, he touched the ring.

"For four thousand years, I waited for him..." a voice echoed into his head, coming from nowhere, "I waited to see his figure appear over the horizon, coming to me. I got angry when he didn't do it, but I was so overjoyed when he did. When the Starman returned to me. He used the power of the Master Emerald to bring me back. I should have. But I didn't."

"Tikal..." the hedgehog whispered.

"For a change. _I_ left _him_."

He gasped as he placed the ring back down on the pedestal. He gazed left and right in search of the person who spoke to him. It sounded familiar, but he wasn't quite sure. Now he didn't know.

The doors to the ruin suddenly flew open, revealing a certain red echidna.

"Sonic! There you are!"

"Knuckles," the hedgehog answered, "What are you doing here?"

The echidna rose the green Chaos Emerald he held.

"We need to stop Perfect Chaos, and fast." the echidna stated.

Somehow, Sonic felt words replay in his mind.

_If I can't stop it... use the Eclipse Cannon. It's the only way..._

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Man, I feel as if I'm getting lazier with my talking sections, or maybe that's just how I'm feeling._

_Anywho, we've finally gotten into the fight with Tikhaos. Of course the Starman's going to do it alone, its symbolic like that. I will say this though; this story will not last as long as the fight against Enerjak did in the last story. I think. You know me, that could change. _

_Also, let me explain something. Tikhaos is strong, like, really strong. In Sonic Adventure, Chaos used only the negative side of the Chaos Emeralds because he was angry. Sonic used the positive side to go Super Sonic and defeat him. In this story however, Tikhaos is using ALL of the Chaos Emeralds power. Not just the negative side._

_And the how did Knuckles get the green Chaos Emerald? It's really easy, after all. Tikal is technically the seventh Chaos Emerald that Tikhaos has used to become Perfect Tikhaos. The green Chaos Emerald Knuckles has, is the green Chaos Emerald the Akna clone stole from Shadow._

_Anyway, this chapter is finished. Next chapter, the battle against Tikhaos rages on. Maybe it'll come to an end. Maybe not. I don't know, I can't see the future. Though I am writing it. What do you think is going to happen anyway?_

_With this chapter over, I'm going to finish my Pokemon two-shot. Yeah, if you like Hilda and Rosa, you'll like this story. I think. _

_Maverick Kay Prime_


End file.
